Solving Laplace Transform Problems

6.1 Here, we reviewed the basic logic and strategy of solving differential equations using
Laplace transforms. The idea is to transform the equation into something solvable. The
Laplace transform of a function is given by the improper integral:
!f"t#$ %
&
" #
st
e f t dt

Ex: 'ind the Laplace transform of the function f"t# % t.

&
(
( ( "&# (
&
! $
,
)
, ,
) )
, :
) & ) )
lim
st
st
st
st st st st st
st
sb sb s
b
L t te dt
u t dv e dt
du dt v e
s
t t
te dt e e dt e e so
s s s s
b
te dt
se s e s s e s

1 _ _

1
, , ]

& "L*h+pital# &

,n practice, we don*t often calculate these by hand, though , did a few elementary ones in
class. -e more frequently consult the table of standard Laplace transforms on p. .)/.
01 2f particular importance here is the fact "which , proved in class# that the Laplace
transform is a linear operator. Put simply, that means that when we want to *Laplace* one
side of an equation, we can *go term0by0term and pull out the constants*. 'or e3ample,
! ( 4 $ !&$ L y y y L
would be:
! $ ( ! $ 4 ! $ !&$ L y L y L y L
.
6.2 -e began here by loo5ing at another technical detail concerning the Laplace
transform, which we already 5now is a linear operator. Theorem 6.(.( "p. .)7# gives a
formula for transforming derivatives. So, as a result, we would have the following useful
formulas:
(
! " #$ ! " #$ "&#,
! " #$ ! " #$ "&# "&#.
L f t sL f t f
L f t s L f t sf f


So now, , will state a general strategy for solving 89*s using Laplace transforms:
")# -e ta5e the Laplace transform of both sides of the 89, relying on the fact that it is a
linear operator, and using the formulas above. -e also, customarily, replace L!f"t#$ with
:"s#. Then we solve the equation for :"s#, which is usually algebra0intensive.
"(# -e *invert the transform*. This is something of an art 0 we have to manipulate the
solution for :"s# into a recogni;able transform off of the list of 5nown ones. ,n this way,
we *recover* the original solution of the 89, y"t#.
Let*s start by doing some pure inversion problems:
.
<
"(# " #
" )#
Y s
s

Ta5e a loo5 down the list 0 there are no standard transforms with a
cube on the denominator "though there*s a bunch of squares#. :ou will note however, that
=)) on the list allows for an arbitrary power n > ) on "s - a#. ,f we pic5ed n % (, and a %
), then we would seem to be in business. ?ut there*s one snag: the top would have to be
n@ % (@ % ( "instead of <#. That*s o5, we Aust rewrite:
{ }
( ")#
.
(
" # (B ( ,
" )#
t
Y s L t e
s

and so our *inverted transform* would be:

(
" # (
t
y t t e
"<#
(
.
" #
6
s
Y s
s s

-e once again peruse the list: there is nothing directly
corresponding to Y"s#. 'rom the problem we wor5ed in class, though, and from the
obviously factorable denominator, we suspect that the use of partial fractions might help:
.
" .#" (# " .#" (#,
" .#" (# . (
. " (# " .#,
.: (:
/ 7 , 6 7 ,
/ 6
, ,
7 7
/ ) 6 )
" # .
7 . 7 (
s A B
s s s s
s s s s
s A s B s
s s
A B
A B
Y s
s s
_
_
+ + +

+ +
,
,
+ +



+
+
Cow, we can see that these terms correspond to e
at
on the list. 2ur inverse transform
would be:
. (
7 7
" #
/ 6
t t
y t e e

+ "0( on last e3ponent: s > ( % s 0 0 (#

"6#
(
( .
" #
<
s
Y s
s

This one could probably be done by partial fractions as well, but we

notice transforms =D,4 on the list with
( (
s a in the denominator and wonder if we can
do something with these. Let*s try brea5ing up Y"s# over the common denominator and
seeing what happens:
( ( ( ( (
( . ( . .
" # (
< < < < <
s s s
Y s
s s s s s

+ +

The first term loo5s ready to go 0 it would be the transform of ( cosh"2t#. ?ut the second
one is a little problematic 0 we want to use sinh"at# but that means we have to have a % (
on the top 0 so Aust twea5 it by rewriting the numerator.
( ( ( ( (
( . . . (
" # ( ( ,
< < < < ( <
s s s
Y s
s s s s s

and we*re ready to rip 0 the inverse
transform is:
y"t# % (cosh"(t# 0).7sinh"(t#.
"4#
(
(
4 < )(
" #
" <#
s s
Y s
s s
+

+
. ,*m going to use partial fractions on this one as well 0 but we do
need to 5eep in mind that the Euadratic factor in the denominator requires a linear
numerator, i.e.
(
( (
( (
4 < )(
" # ,
" <# <
4 < )( " <# " # ,
&:)( < ,
..
s s A Bs C
Y s
s s s s
s s A s Bs C s
s A
A
+ +
+
+ +
+ + + +

To find B and C, pic5 a couple of values for s to get a system of equations in B and C:
):)6 ".#"7# " #")#, )
(: .6 ".#"4# "( #"(#, < ( )(
(" )#
< ( )(
( )&, 7, <.
s B C B C
s B C B C
B C
B C
B B C
+ + +
+ + +
+
+

So, we have:
(
( ( ( (
4 < )( . 7 < ) (
" # . 7 ( .
" <# < < <
s s s s
Y s
s s s s s s s
+
+ +
+ + + +
The inverse transform would be:
y"t# % .")# > 7cos"(t# 0 (sin"(t#.
")&#
(
( .
" #
( )&
s
Y s
s s

+ +
. The bottom doesn*t factor 0 it has comple3 ;eros. So we go
down the list: nothing with three terms in the denominator. =*s / and )& loo5 li5e our best
bet 0 we*re going to have to complete the square, though, and do some manipulation:
( ( ( (
( . ( . ( .
" #
( )& " ( )# / " )# .
s s s
Y s
s s s s s


+ + + + + + +
. ,*m going to factor ( from the top,
and then try to get it in the form of the transform for e
at
cos"bt#.
( ( ( ( ( ( ( (
( ( ( (
.
7
"" )# #
" )# 7 (
(
" # ( ( (
" )# . " )# . " )# . " )# .
" )# 7 .
( .
" )# . . " )# .
s
s
s
Y s
s s s s
s
s s
_

+
+
,

+ + + + + + + +
+

+ + + +
:i5es@ ?ut we*re done 0 the inverse transform would be:
7
" # ( cos". # sin". #.
.
t t
y t e t e t


Cow, we*ll try a full problem.
")6#
** ( * 7 &F "&# (, "&# ). y y y y y + +
-e begin by transforming both sides, then
solving for Y"s#:
(
(
(
! **$ ( ! *$ 7 ! $ !&$, " # ! $
" # "&# "&# (" " # "&## 7 " # &,
" ( 7# " # ( ) (" )# &,
( )
" # .
( 7
L y L y L y L let Y s L y
s Y s sy y sY s y Y s
s s Y s s
s
Y s
s s
+ +
+ +
+ + +
+

+ +
Cow, we need to invert the transform Y. This is a case similar to =)& 0 the denominator
has comple3 ;eros, and won*t factor cleanly, so we complete the square on bottom:
( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (
( ( ( (
)
)
"" )# #
( ) " )# ) (
(
" # ( ( (
" ( )# < " )# ( " )# ( " )# ( " )# (
" )# ) (
(
" )# ( ( " )# (
s
s
s s
Y s
s s s s s s
s
s s
_
+
+
+ +
,

+ + + + + + + + + + +
+

+ + + +

The inverse transform, and solution, is:
)
" # ( cos"( # sin"( #
(
t t
y t e t e t


6.3 -herein we consider the infamous step function:
&,
" #
),
c
t c
u t
t c
<

'

These, as we will see, are valuable in solving differential equations with discontinuities,
or what we call *impulsive forcing*.
01'rom a problem0solving standpoint, we have two theorems in this section, numbered
6...), and 6...(, which allow us to transform and invert functions involving step
functions. Let*s ta5e a loo5s at the gist of them:
Th 6.3.1 ,f F"s# % L!f"t#$,
) )
! " # " #$ " #,
" # " # ! " #$, " # ! " #$
cs
c
cs
c
L u t f t c e F s
and
u t f t c L e F s if f t L F s

Th 6.3.2 Gnder appro3imately the same conditions:
)
! " #$ " #,
" # ! " #$
ct
ct
L e f t F s c
e f t L F s c

Ex: ,nvert the transform
.
(
)
" #
t
e
Y s
s

So we want to invert:
. . .
) ) ) )
( ( ( ( (
) ) )
t t t
e e e
L L L L
s s s s s




' ; ' ; ' ; ' ;


The first term corresponds to the transform of t on the list. Ta5ing a close loo5 at the
second term, , thin5 we can use theorem 6...), with c % ., F"s# %
(
)
s
, and f"t# % t. The
answer is
" # " #
c
u t f t c
.
" #" .# u t t
.
01 Cote that the presence of e
-cs
is the *tipoff* that we want to invert to a step function.
Then, we got to get it all straight 0 who*s c, F"s#, and f"t#. Then invo5e the theorem.
Let*s also try transforming some step functions:
")&#
) . <
" # ( " # 6 " # u t u t u t +
is pretty easy, since ! " #$
cs
c
e
L u t
s

:
Y"s# %
. <
( 6
s s s
e e e
s s s

+
")(#
)
" # " #" )# f t t u t t
,n the second term, the *c*s match*, c % ). -e also see that "t 0 )# is a *translate* of the
function t, whose Laplace transform we 5now. -e use =). on the list :
L!f"t#$ %
( (
)
s
e
s s

"4# ,s a little more tric5y.

(
&, )
" #
( (
t
f t
t t
<

'
+

The structure of the function suggests that it is a step function,

namely:
f"t# %
(
)
" #" ( (# u t t t +
Cow, , need to rewrite the polynomial so that the *c*s match*. ,*m going to complete the
square and see what , have:
( ( ( (
) ) ) ) )
" #" ( (# " #"" ( )# )# " #" )# # )# " #" )# " #. u t t t u t t t u t t u t t u t + + + + +
Cote that the *c*s match*, c % ), on the first term, and that "t 0 )#
(
is a *translate* of the
function t
(
, whose transform is
.
(
s
. The transform of the function is
.
(
" #
s s
e e
Y s
s s

+
These have been some typical *tric5s* you use when transforming functions. Let*s try
inverting some as well:
")<#
(
(
" #
(
s
e
F s
s s

+
. ,*m going to wing it a little: factor out the e3ponential, use partial
fractions, and try to figure out what*s going on.
(
(
( (
(
( (
)
" # ,
( (
)
,
( ( )
) " )# " (#,
(, ),
) )
. ), . ),
. .
) )
" #
. ( . )
s
s
s s
e
F s e
s s s s
A B
s s s s
A s B s
s s
A A B B
e e
F s
s s

_


+ +
,
+
+ +
+ +


+
+
Ht this point, you have to be a little careful, , recogni;e that
)
( s +
and
)
) s
are the
translates of e
0(t
and e
t
, respectively, but , have to remember that when , invert bac5 to a
step function "again, the tipoff that ,*m going to do that is the presence of the e
0cs
, where
c % ( here#, that , have to *translate* by c:

y"t# %
(" (# " (#
( (
) )
" # " #
. .
t t
u t e u t e

+