Laplace Transform Fact Sheet

General and Important Facts:

General Result Examples

R∞
Definition : L{f (t)}(s) = 0 e−st f (t) dt
Linearity : L{c1 y1 (t) + c2 y2 (t)} = c1 L{y1 (t)} + c2 L{y2 (t)} L{3e2t − 5t2 } = 3L{e2t } − 5L{t2 }
Linearity : L−1 {c1 F (s) + c2 G(s)} = c1 L−1 {F (s)} + c2 L−1 {G(s)} L−1 { s+1
2
− 4s } = 2L−1 { s+1
1
} − 4L−1 { 1s }
1st Deriv. : L{y 0 } = sL{y} − f (0)
2nd Deriv. : L{y 00 } = s2 L{y} − sf (0) − f 0 (0)
Exponentials : L{ect f (t)}(s) = L{f (t)}(s − c) L{e5t sin(2t)}(s) = L{sin(2t)}(s − 5)
d n d
Polynomials : L{tn f (t)}(s) = (−1)n ds n (L{f (t)}(s)) L{t sin(5t)} = − ds (L{sin(5t)})
 
 0, t < c;  0, t < 2;
Unit step : uc (t) = u2 (t) =
 1, t ≥ c.  1, t ≥ 2.

Unit step : L{uc (t)f (t − c)} = e−cs L{f (t)} L{u3 (t)et−3 } = e−3s L{et }

Elementary Laplace Transform Table: Here n is a positive integer.

f (t) = L−1 {F (s)} F (s) = L{f (t)} Examples/N otes :

1 6
1 L{6} = 6L{1} = s
s
1 4
eat L{4e5t } = s−5
s−a
s 1

7s
cos(bt) L{7 cos 2t }= s2 +1/4
s + b2
2
b 5·3 15
sin(bt) L{5 sin(3t)} = s2 +9
= s2 +9
s2 + b2
s−a 6(s−2)
eat cos(bt) L{6e2t cos(t)} = (s−2)2 +1
(s − a)2 + b2
b 2·5 10
eat sin(bt) L{2et sin(5t)} = (s−1)2 +25
= (s−1)2 +25
(s − a)2 + b2
n! 1 3!
tn L{t} = s2
, L{t3 } = t4
sn+1
n! 7·2 14
tn eat L{7t2 e8t } = (s−8)2
= (s−8)2
(s − a)n+1
e−cs 9e−2s
uc (t) L{9u2 (t)} = s
s
e−3s
uc (t)f (t − c) e−cs F (s) L{u3 (t)et−3 } = e−3s L{et } = s−1

(ebt + e−bt )/2 = cosh(bt) s

s2 −b2
L{cosh(2t)} = s
s2 −4

(ebt − e−bt )/2 = sinh(bt) b

s2 −b2
L{sinh(3t)} = s23−9
Γ(p+1) R∞
tp sp+1
Γ(p + 1) = 0 tp e−t dt is the Gamma function

δ(t − c) e−cs δ(t − c) is the unit impulse function at t = c

Laplace Transform Method:
To solve ay 00 + by 0 + cy = g(t), where g(t) can be any forcing function (we even discuss how it can have
discontinuities).

1. Take the Laplace transform of both sides.

Since the transform is linear, we get aL{y 00 } + bL{y 0 } + cL{y} = L{g(t)}.

2. Use the rules for the 1st and 2nd derivative and solve for L{y}.
Since L{y 0 } = sL{y} − f (0) and L{y 00 } = s2 L{y} − sf (0) − f 0 (0),
we get (as2 + bs + c)L{y} − (as + b)f (0) − af 0 (0) = L{g(t)}.
Also replace L{g(t)} by its Laplace transform. Now solve for L{y}.

3. Partial Fractions:
Break up the expression you found into partial fractions.

4. Look in the table for the inverse Laplace transform:

Look up the answers in the table.

Examples: Try these on your own before you look at the solutions (solutions on the next page).

1. Solve y 00 + 3y 0 − 4y = 0 with y(0) = 0 and y 0 (0) = 6, using the Laplace transform.

2. Solve y 00 + 2y + y = 0 with y(0) = 3 and y 0 (0) = 1, using the Laplace transform.

3. Solve y 00 − y = e2t with y(0) = 0 and y 0 (0) = 1, using the Laplace transform.

4. Solve y 00 + y = u5 (t) with y(0) = 0 and y 0 (0) = 3, using the Laplace transform.
Solutions to examples:
1. Solve y 00 + 3y 0 − 4y = 0 with y(0) = 0 and y 0 (0) = 6, using the Laplace transform.

(a) Laplace Transform: L{y 00 } + 3L{y 0 } − 4L{y} = L{0}.

(b) Use Rules and Solve: s2 L{y} − sy(0) − y 0 (0) + 3sL{y} − 3y(0) − 4L{y} = 0,
which becomes: (s2 + 3s − 4)L{y} − 6 = 0.
6
Solving for L{y} gives: L{y} = s2 +3s−4 .
6 6 A B
(c) Partial Fractions: s2 +3s−4
= (s+4)(s−1) = s+4 + s−1 and you find A = − 65 , B = 56 .
(d) Inverse Laplace transform:
The solution is: y(t) = L−1 { −6/5
s+4 +
6/5
s−1 } = − 56 e−4t + 56 et .

2. Solve y 00 + 2y + y = 0 with y(0) = 3 and y 0 (0) = 1, using the Laplace transform.

(a) Laplace Transform: L{y 00 } + 2L{y 0 } + L{y} = L{0}.

(b) Use Rules and Solve: s2 L{y} − sy(0) − y 0 (0) + 2sL{y} − 2y(0) + L{y} = 0,
which becomes: (s2 + 2s + 1)L{y} − (7 + 3s) = 0.
Solving for L{y} gives: L{y} = s23s+7
+2s+1
.
3s+7 3s+7 A B
(c) Partial Fractions: s2 +2s+1
= (s+1)2
= s+1 + (s+1)2
and you find A = 3, B = −4.
(d) Inverse Laplace transform:
−4
The solution is: y(t) = L−1 { s+1
3
+ (s+1)2
} = 3e−t − 4te−t .

3. Solve y 00 − y = e2t with y(0) = 0 and y 0 (0) = 1, using the Laplace transform.

(a) Laplace Transform: L{y 00 } − L{y} = L{e2t }.

(b) Use Rules and Solve: s2 L{y} − sy(0) − y 0 (0) − L{y} = 1
s−2 ,
1
which becomes: (s2 − 1)L{y} − 1 = s−2 .
1
Solving for L{y} gives: L{y} = (s−2)(s2 −1) + s21−1 .
1 1 A B C
(c) Partial Fractions: (s−2)(s2 −1)
= (s−2)(s−1)(s+1) = s−2 + s−1 + s+1 and you find A = 31 , B = − 12 ,
C = 16 .
And s21−1 = 1
(s−1)(s+1) = A
s−1 + B
s+1 and you find A = 1
2 and B = − 21 .
(d) Inverse Laplace transform:
1/3 1/2 1/6 1/2 1/2
The solution is: y(t) = L−1 { s−2 − s−1 + s+1 + s−1 − s+1 } = 13 e2t + 61 e−t − 12 e−t .
1 2t 1 −t
Thus, y(t) = 3 e − 3 e .

4. Solve y 00 + y = u5 (t) with y(0) = 0 and y 0 (0) = 3, using the Laplace transform.

(a) Laplace Transform: L{y 00 } + L{y} = L{u5 (t)}.

e−5s
(b) Use Rules and Solve: s2 L{y} − sy(0) − y 0 (0) + L{y} = s ,
−5s
which becomes: (s2 + 1)L{y} − 3 = e s .
−5s
Solving for L{y} gives: L{y} = s(se 2 +1) + s23+1 .
1 A Bs+C
(c) Partial Fractions: s(s2 +1)
= s + s2 +1
and you find A = 1, B = −1, and C = 0.
(d) Inverse Laplace transform:  
The solution is: y(t) = L−1 {e−5s 1s − s
s2 +1
+ 3 s21+1 }, which is the same as
u5 (t)L−1 { 1s − s2s+1 }(t − 5) + 3L−1 { s21+1 }(t), and we get
y(t) = u5 (t)(1 − cos(t − 5)) + 3 sin(t).