LAPLACE TRANSFORM EXERCISES

BY

MANUEL ALANIS
MIGUEL CHARLES
IRAM LEE
FRANCISCO RAMIREZ
FRANCISCO TREVIÑO

ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

COURSE 3431-01
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
FOURIER AND LAPLACE
LECTURE AND LAB

INSTRUCTOR: DR. URBANI

DECEMBER 2, 2002

FALL 2002
I wish to thanks the Junior students of Fall 2003 semester (listed above) to make possible the
realization of this handbook which will be very useful for the next generation’s students.

Fabio Urbani

2
Quiz
Exercise No.1

Calculate the Inverse Laplace Transform of the function:

3
F ( s) 
s ( s  8)

Solution:

By using the partial fractions technique we get:

3 A B
F ( s)   
s ( s  8) s s 8

3  A s  8  B  s 

When s  8

3  A 0   B  8

3
B
8

When s  0

3  A  8  B  0 

3
A
8

3 3 3
Then, F ( s)   
s ( s  8) 8s 8 s  8

Now computing the Inverse Laplace Transform:

  1  3  1 
L  1 3 3
 s ( s  8)    8 L 1
 s   8 L
1
 s  8 
 

From the table of Laplace Transforms we know that:

3
Le   s 1 a
at

L a  as

Then, L
1  3  3
 s ( s  8)    1 
8
3
8
e 
8t

 

Conclusion:

 
L 1 3
 s ( s  8) 
 
 3
8
e 8t

1

Quiz

4
Calculate the Laplace Transform of f(t) = sin(8t).

Solution:

1.5

0.5

0
0 1 2 3 4 5
-0.5

-1

-1.5

f (t )  sin(8t )

1) The function is piecewise continuous for each t.

2) The function is of exponential order for C  0.

We can therefore proceed with the Laplace transformation:


 0 sin(8t )  e
 st
F ( s)  dt

We can convert the sine function using Euler’s formula. We also consider
the function as it approaches infinity:

5
 lim  B e j 8t  e  j 8t 
B     0
F (s)   e  st dt 
j2 

lim  B e ( j 8 s ) t B e (  j 8 s ) t 
F ( s)   
B    0 j2
dt  
0 j2
dt 


Evaluating the integral gives us:

lim 1   1 
B
 1  
B

F ( s)    e ( j 8 s )t     e (  j 8 s ) t  
B   j 2  j8  s  0   j8  s 0 
 

lim 1  1 1 
F ( s)    (e ( j 8 s ) B  1)   (e (  j 8 s ) B  1) 
B   j 2  j8  s j8  s 

Further analysis takes us at the final result:

1  1 1 
F ( s)    
j 2  s  j8 s  j8 

8
F (s) 
s  64
2

Homework

6
Evaluate the Laplace transform of the given functions.
f (t )  5e 4t

f (t )  e 4t sin t

Solution:

In order to evaluate the Laplace transform, the following two sufficient conditions
must be satisfied.
1) The function must be of exponential order

f (t )  Kect
{ f(t) must not grow faster than exponential }

2) The function must be piecewise continuous

0t A  A >0

300

2 50

200

150

f (t )  5e 4t 10 0

50

Piecewise continuous 0
-1.5 -1 -0 .5 0 0 .5 1 1.5

-50

-10 0

4t ct
) e L[fke(t )] 

F (s5  f (t )ekst5dt and c4 so s>c
0

 4t  st  t (4  s)   t (s  4)
F ( s)  0
5e e dt  5e
0 dt  5e
0
dt 

7
 B
B  t (s  4) 
1  t (s  4) 
F (s)  5 lim  e dt  5 lim  e
B  0 B    (s  4) 
 0

F ( s)   5 lim  e B(s  4)  e 0(s  4) 

(s  4) B    

;s>c
F ( s)   5 0  1  5
(s  4) (s  4)

f (t )  e 4t sin t

f(t) is a function of exponential order and piecewise continuous

e 4t sin t  kect c 4 k 1 s c


F (s)  L[ f (t )]   f (t )e  st dt
0

  t ((s  4))
F ( s)   sin te 4t e  st dt  sin te
 dt
0 0
ax
Using 
ax
e sin bxdx  e a sin bx  b cos bx
a 2  b2
.

lim B sin tet ((s  4)) dt 

B   0
F ( s) 

8
   (s  4)t 
B
 e
F (s)  lim 
B    ((s  4))2  12
((s  4)) sin t  cos t) 


  0

  (s  4) B 
F ( s)  lim 

e
B    ((s  4)) 2  12
((s  4)) sin B  cos B)




 


  (s  4)0 
e


 2  12
((s  4)) sin 0  cos 
0) 

 ((s  4))
 


when the integral is evaluated at  , the answer is 0

e
 (s  4)B = e   = 0 because s  c ,s>4

e0

F (s)  0(((s  4)) sin B  cos B)  sin 0  c


 (( s
  4)) 2  12

 
F (s)  0   1  1
0   

 ((s  4))2 2
 1  (s  4) 2  1

1
F ( s) 
(s  4)2  1

9
 Homework

Solving a Differential Equation Using the Laplace Transform Method

 A second order differential equation:

R E t 
q  t   q  t    2 q  t  
L L

Calculate its Laplace Transform

10
 E  t   Eo  H  t  a   H  t  b 

Assuming: 
 a  2 s; b  5 s
 R  0; q  0   q
 o ; q
 0   0  i  0   0

Then the equation becomes:

Q s  
s
s 
2 2 o
E
L
  
q  o e  2 s  e 5 s
1
s s 2
2


Find q t  . We use partial fractions expansion to calculate the inverse Laplace

Transform.

1. - For the first term, we have:

 sq   R R2 
L1  2 o 2  = L1  1   (1)
s    s  s1 s  s 2 

 sq o  jqo qo
R1  lim  s  j     R2 ; s1  j , s 2   j
s  j
  s  j  s  j   2 j 2

substituting the values of R1 , R2 , s1 and s2 into (1):

 qo 2 qo 2  e jt e  j t
  q o 2  qo 2  qo cos t 
1
L  
 s  j s  j 

2. - For the second term, we have:

 e 2 s Eo   e 5 s Eo 
L1  2 and L1  2
 s( s   ) L 
2 

 s s  L 
2 


the first inverse Laplace transform gives:

11
  e 2 s Eo  E o 1  R1 R2 R2   2 s 
L1  2   L    e  (2)
 s( s   ) L   s s  j s  j 
2
L 

 1  1
R1  lim  2  2
s 0 s   2 
  
 1  1
R2  lim  
s  j  s  s  j   2 2
 
 1  1
R3  lim  
s   j  s  s  j  
 2
2


substituting R1 , R2 and R3 into (2) and calculating its inverse Laplace

transform, we have:

Eo  1 1 j  t  2  1  j  t  2   E
 2 H  t  2  2 2 e H  t  2  e H  t  2   o 2 1  cos  t  2  H  t  2
L 2 2
 L

By analogy, the second inverse Laplace transform is:

 e 5 s Eo  Eo
L1  2  1  cos   t  5  H  t  5

 s s  L 
2
 L 2

Now, let qo  Eo  L  1 . Arranging terms, we obtain:

1  cos  t  2 1  cos  t  5
q  t   cos t   H  t  2  H  t  5
 2
2

Graphs

cos t  1  cos   t  2 
H  t  2
2

12
 q1(t) q2(t)

1 1

0 0

-1 -1
t t

1  cos   t  5
H  t  5 q t 
2
q3(t) q(t)

1 2
1
0 0
-1
-1 -2
t t

HOMEWORK: find the Laplace transform of the following functions:

1) sin(at)
2) cos(at)
3) tan(at)
and also include a discussion of the “a” parameter.

SOLUTION: The Laplace transform of the cosine function is the integral of the
function multiplied by the kernel of t1he Laplace transform:

L[sin(at)] = ∫∞
0
sin(at) e-st dt
In order to evaluate if such transform exists, we have to find if there are
sufficient conditions for the Laplace transform to exist. If either one of the

13
necessary conditions for the Laplace transform are not meet the Laplace transform
doesn’t exist:

1) sin(at) is piecewise continuous for  t :

-7 -5 -3 -1 1 3 5 7

2) sin(at) is of exponential order…

│sin(at)│ ≤ Ke –ct

{ K=a
c=0
t=0
in general:
K=a
c >0
t >0

Since we now know that the sin function has sufficient conditions for the
Laplace transform to exist, we can proceed to calculate the transform.

L[sin(at)] =
∫ 0
sin(at) e – s t dt

u = sin(at) dv =e-st dt
du = a cos(at) dt v = (1/-s) e-st

∫

L[sin(at)] = (1/-s) e –st
sin(at)  –
0
(1/-s) a e – s t cos(at) dt
0
B

14
 lim (1/-s) e – s t sin(at)  0 = 0
B 

∫
L[sin(at)] = (a/s) cos(at) e – s t dt
0
u = cos (at) dv = e – s t dt
du = -a sin(at) dt v = (1/-s) e – s t

∫

L[sin(at)] = (a/s) [ (1/-s) e –st
cos(at)  – (-a/-s) sin(at) e – s t dt ]
0
0
B
lim (1/-s) e – s t cos(at) = 1/s
B  0


L[sin(at)] = (a/s2) – (a2/s2)
∫ sin(at) e – s t dt
0

* but L[sin(at)] = ∫ sin(at) e – s t dt so …

0




∫0
sin(at) e – s t dt = (a/s2) – (a2/s2)
∫
sin(at) e – s t dt
0


[1 + (a2/s2)]


∫ 0
sin(at) e – s t dt = (a/s2)

∫ sin(at) e – s t dt = (a/s2) [ 1 / (1 + {a2/s2} ) ]

15
 0

L[sin(at)] = a .

2 2
s +a

The Laplace transform of the cosine function is the integral of the function
multiplied by the kernel of the Laplace transform:

L[cos(at)] = ∫∞
0
cos(at) e -st
dt
In order to evaluate if such transform exists, we have to find if there are
sufficient conditions for the Laplace transform to exist. If either one of the
necessary conditions for the Laplace transform are not meet the Laplace transform
doesn’t exist:

3) The cosine function is piecewise continuous  t :

-7 -5 -3 -1 1 3 5 7

4) cos(at) is of exponential order…

│cos(at)│ ≤ Ke –ct

{ K=a
c=0
in general:
K=a

16
 t=0 c >0
t >0

Since we now know that the sin function has sufficient conditions for the
Laplace transform to exist, we can proceed to calculate the transform.


L[cos(at)] =

u = cos(at)
∫
0
cos(at) e-st dt

dv = e – s t dt
du = -asin(at)dt v = (1/-s) e – s t

∫

L[cos(at)] = (1/-s) e – s t cos(at) 0 – (-a/-s) sin(at) e – s t dt
0

lim (1/-s) e – s t cos(at) 0 = 1/s
B 

L[cos(at)] = (1/s) – (a/s) sin(at) e – s t dt

∫ 0

u = sin(at) dv = e – s t dt
du = acos(at)dt v = (1/-s) e – s t

∫

L[cos(at)] = (1/s) – (a/s) [ (1/-s) e – s t sin(at) – (a/-s) cos(at) e – s t dt ]
0
0
B
lim (1/-s) e –st
sin(at)  = 0
 0
B

L[cos(at)] = (1/s) – (a/s) [ (a/s)

∫
cos(at) e – s t dt ]
0

17
 


∫
L[cos(at)] = (1/s) – (a2/s2) cos(at) e – s t dt
0

*but L[cos(at)] =


∫
cos(at) e-st dt so…
0


∫ 0
cos(at) e-st dt = (1/s) – (a2/s2)
∫
cos(at) e – s t dt
0

[ 1 + (a2 / s2) ]
∫
0
cos(at) e-st dt = 1/s

∫ 0
cos(at) e-st dt = (1/s) [ 1 + (a2 / s2) ]

L[cos(at)] = s .

s + a2
2

The Laplace transform of the cosine function is the integral of the function
multiplied by the kernel of the Laplace transform:
∞

18
 L[tan(at)] = ∫0 tan(at) e-st dt
In order to evaluate if such transform exists, we have to find if there are
sufficient conditions for the Laplace transform to exist. If either one of the
necessary conditions for the Laplace transform are not meet the Laplace transform
doesn’t exist:

5) The tangent function is not piecewise continuous  t :

-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4

π/2 is the discontinuity point

(+ π/2 & - π/2)

tan(π / 2) = sin(π / 2) = 1 =
cos(π / 2) 0


and since the mean value at the discontinuity does not converge…

f (x +) + f (x - ) never converges as x  π/2

2
because as x  π/2 the function has a very large value, not a finite limit

the Laplace transform of tan(at) doesn’t exist.

Discussion of the “a” parameter

f (t) = sin(at) ; F(s) = a .

s + a2
2

19
 The “a” parameter is a constant in both the t domain and the s domain.
Moreover, as “a” changes the amplitude of the graph of F(s) changes; therefore
a  amplitude:
F(s)

0 s

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
f(t) = cos(at) ; F(s) = s .

s + a2
2

The “a” is also a constant in both t & s domains. Likewise, a change in “a”
changes the amplitude of F(s); therefore a  amplitude in the s domain.
F(s)

0.6

0 s

-0.6

In both cases, “a” changes the frequency of the function in the t domain.

20
 Laplace Transform
Table of Transform Pairs
It is assumed tat all f(t) exist for t0 and f(t)=0 for t<0. Each of the functions from (*) to the end can be considered
as being multiplied by u(t).

21
 f(t) Comments F(s)
df (t )
sF ( s )  f (0  )
dt
2
d f (t ) df
s 2 F ( s )  sf (0  )  (0  )
dt 2 dt
d n f (t ) n 1 df  2
n2 d f  d n 1 f 
s F (s)  s
2
(0 )  s (0 )    n 1 (0 )
dt n dt dt 2 dt
 
F ( s ) g (0 )
g (t )   f ( )d
0 s

s
1
H (t ) or u (t ) Heviside funct.
s
 (t ) Dirac funct. 1
1
t (*)
s2
t n 1 1
n I
( n  1)! sn
1
e  at
sa
1
te  at
 s  a 2
1
t n 1e  at n I
 s  a n

sin t
s  2 2

s
cos t
s  2
2

s sin    cos
sin  t   
s2  2
s cos   sin 
cos t   
s2   2

e  at sin t
 s      
2 2 2 2

sa
e  at cos t
 s      
2 2 2 2

2  s  a 
te  at sin t
 s      
2 2 2 2

 s  a 2   2
te  at cos t
 s 2
 2  2
 2 

22