EXAM QUESTION PAPER

College of Engineering, Design & Physical Sciences

College/ Institute
(CEDPS)
Department Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Exam Author(s) Dr Jan Wissink
Module Code ME2610
Module Title Engineering Mathematics and Programming
Month January Year 2021
Exam Type Full Format
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Number of questions 3
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Answer 2 out of 3 questions.

Question Instructions If you submit answers to more questions than specified, final
marks for the examination will be determined using the best
marks which satisfy the rubric
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1. .
(a) The Laplace transform of a function 𝑥(𝑡) is defined by
∞
𝑋(𝑠) = ∫𝑡=0 𝑥(𝑡)𝑒 −𝑠𝑡 𝑑𝑡. (1.1)

Use eq. (1.1) (and not the supplied table of Laplace transforms;
please show your workings) to determine the Laplace transform of

(i) 𝑥(𝑡) = 2𝑡
[15%]

(ii) 𝑥(𝑡) = e2t

[15%]

(iii) 𝑥(𝑡) = cos(2𝑡)

[20%]

(b) The Lagrange polynomial interpolation of a function ℎ(𝑥) that is

defined in discrete points 𝑥 = 𝑥0 , 𝑥1 , … , 𝑥𝑛 , reads

ℎ𝑛 (𝑥) = ∑𝑛𝑖=0 𝐿𝑖 (𝑥)ℎ(𝑥𝑖 ), (1.2)

𝑥−𝑥𝑗
where 𝐿𝑖 (𝑥) = ∏𝑛
𝑗=0,𝑗≠𝑖 .
𝑥𝑖 −𝑥𝑗

Given the function values ℎ(0) = −3, ℎ(2) = 1 and ℎ(4) = 13,

(i) calculate a first-order polynomial interpolation ℎ1 (3) of ℎ in

the point 𝑥 = 3,
[15%]

(ii) calculate the second-order polynomial interpolation ℎ2 (3) of

ℎ in the point 𝑥 = 3.
[15%]

(iii) determine the quadratic polynomial ℎ2 (𝑥) and show that it is

identical to the second-order polynomial interpolation of ℎ
that would be obtained with the Newton-Raphson polynomial
interpolation.
[20%]
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2. .
(a) You want to use the successive approximation method to
iteratively solve the equation 𝑓(𝑥) = 0

(i) Describe the workings of this method

[15%]

(ii) Carry out three iterations using the successive approximation

method to approximate one of the solutions of 𝑥 3 − 𝑥 = 0. Use
𝑥0 = 0.25 as an initial guess.
[10%]

(iii) Next try to obtain an approximation of the second root of

𝑥 3 − 𝑥 = 0 by finding a suitable way of rewriting the iterative
equation obtained in (ii). Carry out three iterations using 𝑥0 = 2
as an initial guess.
[15%]

(b) Use the Laplace transforms (and the table supplied) to:

(i) Determine the inverse Laplace transform of

1
𝑋(𝑠) = 3
𝑠 + 4𝑠 2 + 3𝑠
[15%]

(ii) Solve the initial value problem 𝑦̇ − 𝑦 = 𝑡 given that

𝑦(0) = 0
[15%]

(iii) Solve the initial value problem 𝑦̈ − 𝑦 = 2𝑡 given that

𝑦(0) = 0 and 𝑦̇ (0) = −2
[15%]

(iv) Solve the initial value problem 𝑥̈ − 3𝑥̇ + 2𝑥 + 1 = 0 given

that 𝑥(0) = 0 and 𝑥̇ (0) = 0
[15%]
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3.
𝑢 (𝑥 , 𝑥 ) 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥2
(a) ⃗ (𝑥1 , 𝑥2 ) = ( 1 1 2 ) = ( 1
Given the vector function 𝑢 )
𝑢2 (𝑥1 , 𝑥2 ) 2𝑥1 + 𝑥22
(i) Calculate the Jacobian matrix of first order derivatives
𝜕𝑢𝑖
𝐽(𝑥1 , 𝑥2 ) = of u (Note: here J is a 2 x 2 matrix)
𝜕𝑥𝑗
[ 15%]

(ii) Determine the inverse 𝐽−1 (𝑥1 , 𝑥2 ) of 𝐽(𝑥1 , 𝑥2 )

[ 15%]

(iii) Given that the Newton-Raphson iterative solver formula

for the one dimensional (1D) problem 𝑢(𝑥) = 0 reads

𝑢(𝑥0 )
𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑝 = 𝑥0 − (where x 0 is the initial guess and
𝑢′(𝑥0 )
ximp is the improved approximation), write down the

2D version of Newton-Raphson
[ 15%]

(iv) Use this 2D version to calculate the improved

𝑥1,𝑖𝑚𝑝
approximation (𝑥 ) of the nonlinear problem
2,𝑖𝑚𝑝
𝑢 (𝑥 , 𝑥 ) 0 𝑥1,0 0.5
( 1 1 2 ) = ( ) using the initial guess (𝑥 ) = ( )
𝑢2 (𝑥1 , 𝑥2 ) 0 2,0 0.5
(only perform 1 iteration)
[15%]

(b) Polynomial Regression: Five measurements were performed to

determine the breaking distance, 𝑑𝑖 , of a car at various speeds
𝑣𝑖̇ (𝑖 = 1,2,3,4,5). The results were entered in Table 3.1

𝑣𝑖 (m/s) 10 15 20 25 30
𝑑𝑖 (m) 4.5 9.9 19.2 28.3 41.0

Table 3.1: Breaking distance d as a function of speed v

We assume that there is a quadratic relationship

𝑑𝑖 = 𝑎𝑣𝑖2 + 𝑏 (3.1)

between speed and breaking distance.

Question 3 is continued on the next page

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Question 3 (continued)

(i) The measurements shown in Table 3.1 are used to rewrite

eq. (3.1) as a matrix-vector multiplication

𝑌 = 𝑋𝜃, (3.2)

𝑑1 4.5
𝑑2 9.9 𝑎
where 𝑌 = 𝑑3 = 19.2 and 𝜃 = ( )
𝑏
𝑑4 28.3
(𝑑5 ) (41.0)

Determine the matrix 𝑋.

[15%]

(ii) Calculate the inverse (𝑋 ′ 𝑋)−1 of 𝑋 ′ 𝑋, where the prime denotes

the transpose
[10%]

(iii) Use the polynomial regression method and solve

𝑎
( ) = (𝑋 ′ 𝑋)−1 𝑋′𝑌
𝑏

to determine the equation for the fitted curve that shows the
relation between speed and breaking distance.
. [15%]

*****
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TABLE OF LAPLACE TRANSFORMS

Time function Laplace Transforms

f(t) F(s)

f(t) 0
f ( t )e − st dt Definition
f1(t) + f2(t) F1(s) + F2(s) Linearity
k f(t) k F(s) Linearity
(t) 1 Unit Impulse
1
1 (or h(t)) Unit Step
s
f(t-)h(t-) -s
s F(s) Time delay
1
e-at
s+a

sin t
s +2
2

s
cos t
s +2
2

e-at f(t) F(s+a)


e-at sint
( s + a )2 +  2
s+a
e-at cos t
( s + a )2 +  2
1
t
s2
n!
tn
s n+1
dn
tn f(t) (− 1) n n  F ( s)
ds
1
t e-at
( s + a )2
df ( t )
s F(s) - f(0) Differentiation
dt
n
d f (t ) d n −1 f ( 0)
snF(s)-sn-1 f(0) - - Differentiation
dt n dt n −1
t
 f ( )d
1
0
F ( s) Integration
s
t
 x( )h(t −  )d
0
H(s)X(s) Convolution

lim f ( t ) limsF ( s)

Final Value Theorem
t → s→0 (for stable system)

ME2610: Engineering Mathematics and Programming