M222C | ADVANCED MATHEMATICS FOR CE

CHAPTER 4
PROPERTIES OF LAPLACE TRANSFORMS

4.1 Linearity Property

If a and b are constants while 𝑓1 (𝑡) and 𝑓2 (𝑡) are functions whose Laplace
Transform exists, then:

ℒ (𝑎 𝑓1 (𝑡) + 𝑏 𝑓2 (𝑡)) = 𝑎 ℒ 𝑓1 (𝑡) + 𝑏 ℒ 𝑓2 (𝑡)

Example No. 1:
Find the Laplace Transform of 𝑓(𝑡) = (2𝑡 + 3)

ℒ (2𝑡 + 3) = 2 ℒ (𝑡) + 3 ℒ (1)

1 1
= 2 ( 2) + 3 ( )
𝑠 𝑠

2 3
= 2
+
𝑠 𝑠
2+3s
ℒ (2𝑡 + 3) =
s2

Example No. 2:
Find the Laplace Transform of 𝑓(𝑡) = (3𝑡 + 4𝑒 −2𝑡 )

ℒ (3𝑡 + 4𝑒 −2𝑡 ) = 3 ℒ (𝑡) + 4 ℒ (𝑒 −2𝑡 )

1 1
= 3 (𝑆 2 ) + 4 (𝑆+2)

3 4
= + 𝑆+2
𝑆2

3(𝑆+2)+4𝑆 2
= 𝑆 2 (𝑆+2)

4𝑠 2+3𝑠+6
ℒ (3𝑡 + 4𝑒 −2𝑡 ) = 𝑠 3 +2𝑠

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Example No. 3:
Find the Laplace Transform of 𝑓(𝑡) = 𝑐𝑜𝑠ℎ 𝑘𝑡 = ½ (𝑒 𝑘𝑡 + 𝑒 −𝑘𝑡 )

ℒ (𝑐𝑜𝑠ℎ 𝑘𝑡) = ½ ℒ 𝑒 𝑘𝑡 + ½ ℒ 𝑒 −𝑘𝑡

1 1
= ½ (𝑠−𝑘) + ½ (𝑠+𝑘)

(𝑠+𝑘)+(𝑠−𝑘)
= 2(𝑠−𝑘)(𝑠+𝑘)

2𝑠
= 2(𝑠2 −𝑘 2)

𝒔
ℒ (𝑐𝑜𝑠ℎ 𝑘𝑡) = 𝒔𝟐 −𝒌𝟐

Example No. 4:
Find the Laplace Transform of 𝑓(𝑡) = 𝑠𝑖𝑛ℎ 𝑘𝑡 = ½ (𝑒 𝑘𝑡 − 𝑒 −𝑘𝑡 )

ℒ (𝑠𝑖𝑛ℎ 𝑘𝑡) = ½ ℒ 𝑒 𝑘𝑡 − ½ ℒ 𝑒 −𝑘𝑡

1 1
= ½ (𝑠−𝑘) − ½ (𝑠+𝑘)

(𝑠+𝑘)−(𝑠−𝑘)
= 2(𝑠−𝑘)(𝑠+𝑘)

2𝑘
= 2(𝑠2 −𝑘 2)

𝒌
ℒ (𝑠𝑖𝑛ℎ 𝑘𝑡) = 𝒔𝟐 −𝒌𝟐

4.2 First Shifting Theorem

If f(t) has the transform F(s), then:

ℒ (𝑒 𝑎𝑡 𝑓(𝑡)) = 𝐹(𝑠 − 𝑎)

Example No. 1:
Find the Laplace Transform of 𝑓(𝑡) = 𝑒 3𝑡 𝑡 2

𝑛! 2! 2
ℒ (𝑡 2 ) = 𝑠 𝑛+1 = 𝑠 2+1 = 𝑠 3

= 𝑒 3𝑡 ; a = 3

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2
ℒ 𝑒 3𝑡 𝑡 2 = (𝑠−3)3

Example No. 2:
Find the Laplace Transform of 𝑓(𝑡) = 𝑒 −2𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑡

1
ℒ (𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑡) = 𝑠 2 +1

1
ℒ(𝑒 −2𝑡 sin 𝑡) = (𝑠+2)2 +1

1
=
𝑠 2 +4𝑠+4+1

1
ℒ(𝑒 −2𝑡 sin 𝑡)=
𝑠 2+4𝑠+5

4.3 Multiplication by the Power of t

If f(t) has the transform F(s), then:

𝑑𝑛
ℒ (𝑡 𝑛 𝑓(𝑡)) = (−1)𝑛 F (s)
𝑑𝑠 𝑛

Example No. 1:
Find the Laplace Transform of 𝑓(𝑡) = 𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑡

𝑑1 1
ℒ (𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑡) = (−1)1 𝑑𝑠 1 (𝑠 2 +1)
(𝑠 2+1)(0)−1(2𝑠)
= (−1) [ ]
(𝑠 2+1)2
−2𝑠
= (−1) [(𝑠2 +1)2 ]
2𝑠
ℒ (𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑡) = (𝑠 2+1)2

Example No. 2:
Find the Laplace Transform of 𝑓(𝑡) = 𝑡 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑡

𝑑2 1
ℒ (𝑡 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑡) = (−1)2 ( )
𝑑𝑠 2 𝑠 2+1

𝑑 (𝑠 2+1)(0)−1(2𝑠)
= (1) 𝑑𝑠 [ ]
(𝑠 2+1)2

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𝑑 −2𝑠
= 𝑑𝑠 [(𝑠 2 +1)2]
2
(𝑠 2 +1) (−2)−(−2𝑠)(2)(𝑠 2+1)(2𝑠)
= (𝑠 2+1)4

−2(𝑠 2+1)+8𝑠 2
=
(𝑠 2+1)3

6𝑠 2 −2
=(𝑠 4+2𝑠2 +2)(𝑠2 +1)

6𝑠 2 −2
=𝑠 6 +𝑠4+2𝑠4+2𝑠2 +2𝑠2 +2

6𝑠 2 − 2
ℒ (𝑡 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑡) =
𝑠 6 + 3𝑠 4 + 4𝑠 2 + 2

Example No. 3:
Find the Laplace Transform of 𝑓(𝑡) = 𝑡𝑒 −2𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑡

1 1
𝐹 (𝑠) = ℒ (𝑒 −2𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑡) = (𝑠+2)2+1 = 𝑠 2 +4𝑠+5
𝑑1 1
ℒ (𝑡𝑒 −2𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑡) = (−1)1 𝑑𝑠 1 (𝑠 2 +4𝑠+5)
(𝑠 2 +4𝑠+5)(0)−1(2𝑠+4)
=(−1) [ (𝑠 2+4𝑠+5)2
]
2𝑠+4
=(𝑠 2+4𝑠+5)2
2𝑠+4
=𝑠 4 +4𝑠3 +5𝑠2 +4𝑠3+16𝑠2 +20𝑠+5𝑠2 +20𝑠+25
2𝑠+4
ℒ (𝑡𝑒 −2𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑡) = 𝑠 4 +8𝑠3+26𝑠2 +40𝑠+25

Alternate solution:
𝑑1 1
ℒ (𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑡) = (−1)1 ( )
𝑑𝑠 1 𝑠 2 +1
(𝑠 2+1)(0)−1(2𝑠)
= (−1) [ ]
(𝑠 2+1)2

−2𝑠
= (−1) [(𝑠2 +1)2 ]
2𝑠
ℒ (𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑡) = (𝑠 2+1)2
2(𝑠+2)
ℒ (𝑡𝑒 −2𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑡) = [(𝑠+2)2 +1]2

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2𝑠+4
=(𝑠 2+4𝑠+5)2
2𝑠+4
=𝑠 4 +4𝑠3 +5𝑠2 +4𝑠3+16𝑠2 +20𝑠+5𝑠2 +20𝑠+25
2𝑠+4
ℒ (𝑡𝑒 −2𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑡) = 𝑠 4 +8𝑠3+26𝑠2 +40𝑠+25

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