Laplace transform solution of a differential

equation

Problem: Given the following differential equa-

tion, solve for y(t) if all initial conditions are
zero. Use the Laplace transform.
d2y dy
2
+ 12 + 32y = 32u(t) (1)
dt dt
Solution. Use Item 2 in Table A, Item 7& 8
Table B. If all initial conditions are zero, ap-
plying Laplace transform to both sides of (1),
we have
32
s2Y (s) + 12sY (s) + 32Y (s) = (2)
s
Solving for the response, Y (s), yields
32 32
Y (s) = =
s(s2 + 12s + 32) s(s + 4)(s + 8)
Use partial fraction
32 K1 K2 K3
= + +
s(s + 4)(s + 8) s s+4 s+8
1
 32
K1 = |s→0 = 1
(s + 4)(s + 8)
32
K2 = |s→−4 = −2
s(s + 8)
32
K3 = |s→−8 = 1
s(s + 4)
Hence
32 1 2 1
Y (s) = = − +
s(s + 4)(s + 8) s s+4 s+8
Use Item 4 in Table B and Item 2 in Table A.
Apply the inverse Laplace transform to both
sides.

y(t) = u(t) − 2e−4tu(t) + e−8tu(t)

= (1 − 2e−4t + e−8t)u(t)

= 1 − 2e−4t + e−8t, t>0

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Solve inverse Laplace transform using par-
tial fraction expansion

To find the inverse Laplace transform of a

complicated function, we can convert the func-
tion to a sum of simpler terms for which we
know the Laplace transform of each term.

Case 1: Roots of the denominator of F (s) are

real and distinct

An example of an F (s) with real and distinct

roots in the denominator is
2
F (s) =
(s + 1)(s + 2)
We can write the partial-fraction expansion as
a sum of terms where each factor of the orig-
inal denominators forms the denominator of
each term, and the constants form the numer-
ators.
3
Hence
2 K1 K2
F (s) = = + (3)
(s + 1)(s + 2) s+1 s+2

to find K1, first multiplying (3) by (s + 1),

which isolates K1. Thus
2 (s + 1)K2
= K1 +
(s + 2) s+2
Letting s approach -1 eliminates the last term
and yields
2
K1 = |s→−1 = 2
(s + 2)
Similarly
2
K2 = |s→−2 = −2
(s + 1)
Hence use Item 2 in Table A and Item 3& 4 in
Table B, we find

f (t) = (2e−t − 2e−2t )u(t)

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In general, given
N (s) N (s)
F (s) = =
D(s) (s + p1)(s + p2)...(s + pn)
K1 K2 Kn
= + + ... +
(s + p1) (s + p2) (s + pn )

where the order of N (s) is less than the order

of D(s).

To evaluate each Ki, i = 1, ..., n, we use

———
(s + pi )N (s)
Ki = |s→−pi
(s + p1)(s + p2)...———
(s + pi )...(s + pn )

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Case 2: Roots of the denominator of F (s) are
real and repeated

An example of an F (s) with real and distinct

roots in the denominator is
2
F (s) =
(s + 1)(s + 2)2
in which the denominator root at −2 is a mul-
tiple root of multiplicity 2.

We can write the partial-fraction expansion as

a sum of terms where each factor of the orig-
inal denominators forms the denominator of
each term. In addition, each multiple root gen-
erates additional terms consisting of denomi-
nators of reduced multiplicity. i.e.
2 K1 K2 K3
= + +
(s + 1)(s + 2)2 s+1 (s + 2)2 s+2

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K1 can be found as previously described.
2
K1 = 2
|s→−1 = 2
(s + 2)
K2 can be isolated by multiplying (s + 2)2
2 2 K1
= (s + 2) + K2 + (s + 2)K3 (4)
(s + 1) s+1
Thus
2
K2 = |s→−2 = −2
(s + 1)
To find K3, we differentiate (4) with respect
to s,
−2 (s + 2)s
2
= 2
K1 + K3
(s + 1) (s + 1)
(x)
d( fg(x) ) (x)
g(x) dfdx −f (x) dg(x)
(Note: = dx )
dx [g(x)] 2

K3 is isolated and can be found

−2
K3 = |s→−2 = −2
(s + 1)

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Hence
2
F (s) =
(s + 1)(s + 2)2
2 2 2
= − −
s + 1 (s + 2)2 s + 2
Use Item 3 & Item 4 in Table B, and Item 2
and 3 in Table A.

f (t) = 2e−t u(t) − 2te−2t u(t) − 2e−2t u(t)

= 2e−t − 2te−2t − 2e−2t, t>0

Example: Given the following differential equa-

tion, solve for y(t) if all initial conditions are
zero. Use the Laplace transform.
d2y dy −2t
2
+ 2 + y = 4e (5)
dt dt
Solution. Use Item 2 in Table A, Item 4, 7&
8 Table B. If all initial conditions are zero, ap-
plying Laplace transform to both sides of (5),
8
we have
4
s2Y (s) + 2sY (s) + Y (s) =
s+2
or
4
Y (s) =
(s + 1)2(s + 2)
with partial fraction expansion in the form
4 K1 K2 K3
= + +
(s + 1)2(s + 2) s+2 (s + 1)2 (s + 1)
4
K1 = 2
|s→−2 = 4
(s + 1)
4
K2 = |s→−1 = 4
(s + 2)
Multiplying (s + 1)2 to Y (s)
4 K1(s + 1)2
= + K2 + K3(s + 1) (6)
(s + 2) s+2
We differentiate (6) with respect to s, to solve
K3
4 K1(s + 1)(s + 3)
− = + K3
(s + 2)2 (s + 2)2
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 4
K3 = − 2
|s→−1 = −4
(s + 2)
Hence
4 4 4
Y (s) = + −
s+2 (s + 1)2 (s + 1)
Use Item 3 & Item 4 in Table B, and Item 2
and 3 in Table A.

y(t) = 4e−2t u(t) + 4te−t u(t) − 4e−2tu(t)

= 4e−2t + 4te−t − 4e−2t, t>0

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In general, given an F (s) whose denominator
has real and repeated roots, a partial fraction
expansion
N (s) N (s)
F (s) = =
D(s) (s + p1)r (s + p2)...(s + pn−r+1)

K1 K2 Kr
= r
+ r−1
+ ...
(s + p1) (s + p1) (s + p1)
Kr+1 Kn
+ ... +
(s + p2) (s + pn−r+1)

where the order of N (s) is less than the order

of D(s).

F1(s) = (s + p1)r F (s) (7)

The general expression for K1 to Kr is
1 di−1F1(s)
Ki = i−1
|s→−p1 (8)
(i − 1)! ds

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