Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
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Step Functions
Definition: The unit step function (or Heaviside function), is defined by
0,
u c (t ) =
1,
t<c
tc ,
c 0.
Often the unit step function uc(t) is also denoted as u(t c), Hc(t), or
H(t c).
1,
1 u c (t ) =
0,
t<c
tc ,
c 0.
C-2 - 1
e cs
L{uc(t)} = s
s > 0,
c0
Notice that when c = 0, u0(t) has the same Laplace transform as the constant
function f (t) = 1. (Why?) Therefore, for our purpose, u0(t) = 1. (Keep in
mind that a Laplace transform is only defined for t 0.)
L{uc(t)} =
uc (t )e st dt = 1 e st dt =
c
1
e cs
cs
=
0e
=
s
s
1 st
e
s
s > 0.
C-2 - 2
The unit step function is much more useful than it first appears to be. When
put in a product with a second function, the unit step function acts like a
switch to turn the other function on or off:
0,
uc (t ) f (t ) =
f (t ),
f (t ),
(1 uc (t )) f (t ) =
0,
t<c
tc,
(an on switch)
t<c
t c,
0,
(u a (t ) ub (t )) f (t ) = f (t ),
0,
t<a
at <b
,
t b
C-2 - 3
Suppose
f1 (t ),
f (t ),
2
F (t ) = f 3 (t ),
f n (t ),
t<a
at <b
bt <c
.
:
td
Example:
3t 2 2,
F (t ) = e 5t + t ,
cos( 2t ),
t<4
4 t <9
t 9
Then,
C-2 - 4
C-2 - 5
{F(s)}, then
5e 2 s
Example: Find the inverse transform of F ( s ) =
s + 10 .
5
= e2s L{5e10t}, therefore,
s + 10
2 s
Since F ( s ) = e
10t
c = 2 and f (t) = 5e
This equivalent formula is more explicit about what needs to be done when transforming a product
containing a unit step function. It tells you to translate the function, t t + c, before transform the
function. Remember, when transforming a product containing a step function: translate before transform!
C-2 - 6
7t
L{u2(t) e7t} = e2s L{e7(t + 2)} = e2s L{e7t + 14} = e2s e14L{e7t}
1
e 2 s +14
2 s 14
=
=e e
.
s7 s7
1
1 s 2 5 6
s 2
e
+
5
+
6
=e 3 + 2 +
=
3
2
s
s
s
s
s
s
2008 Zachary S Tseng
C-2 - 7
3t 2 2,
F (t ) = e 5t + t ,
cos( 2t ),
t<4
4 t <9
t 9
6 2 4 s e 20
6 23 42
= 3 + e
3 2 +
s
s
s
s
s 5 s
e
9 s
s
2
e 45
1 9
cos(18) 2
sin(18) 2
2
s +4
s + 4 s 5 s
s
C-2 - 8
As a parallel to the time shift property, Laplace transform also has the
frequency shift property:
Theorem: If F(s) = L{f (t)}, and if c is any positive constant, then
{F(s)}, then
e ct f (t) = L
{F(s c)}.
b
s
,
2
2 and L{sin bt} =
s + b2
s +b
then, letting c = a and replace s by s c = s a:
sa
L{e cos bt} =
( s a ) 2 + b 2 and
b
at
L{e sin bt} =
(s a) 2 + b 2 .
at
n!
Similarly, since L{t } = n+1 , therefore,
s
n
n!
L{t n e at} = ( s a ) n +1 .
C-2 - 9
y + 4y = F(t),
Example:
where
0,
F (t ) =
1,
y(0) = 0, y(0) = 2,
t <
t .
e s
2
+
L{y} = s ( s 2 + 4) s 2 + 4
The second part can be inverted directly into sin(2t).
s
The first part can be inverted by first setting aside e and then use
partial fractions to simplify
1
11 1 s
=
s ( s 2 + 4) 4 s 4 s 2 + 4 .
C-2 - 10
1 1
cos( 2t ) .
It has as an inverse transform
4 4
1 1
s
Hence, the first part is really e L{ cos(2t ) }. It is inverted,
4 4
via the formula
with c = , to
1 1
1
u (t ) cos 2(t ) = u (t )(1 cos( 2t 2 ) ) .
4 4
4
t <
sin( 2t ),
1
y = sin( 2t ) + u (t )(1 cos( 2t ) ) =
1 1
sin(
2
t
)
+
cos( 2t ), t
4
4 4
C-2 - 11
Example:
y(0) = 0,
y(0) = 0.
s
s
4 s
e
(s L{y} 0) + 9L{y} = (s +9)L{y} = 2
s +4
s2 + 4
2
Note:
4s
L{cos(2t + 8)} = e
4s
s
4 s
e
L{cos(2t)} =
s2 + 4
Therefore,
s
s
4s
e
L{y} = ( s 2 + 4)( s 2 + 9)
( s 2 + 4)( s 2 + 9)
Use partial fractions to simplify the first part:
s
1 s
1 s
=
( s 2 + 4)( s 2 + 9) 5 s 2 + 4 5 s 2 + 9 .
It has an inverse transform
1
(cos(2t ) cos(3t ) ) .
5
C-2 - 12
The second half consists of the negative of the same expression, with
4s
an additional term of e . The extra term will induce the step
function u4 ( t ), and the translation that changes t into t 4. Hence,
the second part is inverted to
1
u 4 (t )(cos( 2(t 4 )) cos( 3(t 4 ) ) .
5
Summing up the 2 parts, the solution is, therefore,
1
(cos( 2t ) cos(3t ) ) 1 u 4 (t )(cos 2(t 4 ) cos 3(t 4 ) )
5
5
1
(cos( 2t ) cos(3t ) ),
t < 4
= 5
0,
t 4
y=
C-2 - 13
y + 6y + 5y = u5(t),
Example:
y(0) = 1, y(0) = 1
e 5 s
(s + 1)(s + 5)L{y} =
s +s+7
Hence,
e 5 s
s+7
+
L{y} = s ( s + 1)( s + 5) ( s + 1)( s + 5)
The second half is simpler. It can be broken down by partial fractions
into
s+7
3 1
1 1
=
( s + 1)( s + 5) 2 s + 1 2 s + 5 .
3 t 1 5t
e e .
2
2
C-2 - 14
The first half, without the e5s term, has partial fractions
decomposition of
1
11 1 1
1 1
=
+
s ( s + 1)( s + 5) 5 s 4 s + 1 20 s + 5 .
It has an inverse transform of
1 1 t 1 5 t
e +
e .
5 4
20
We then must apply the effects of the e5s term, namely the
introduction of the step function u5( t ), and the translation that
changes t into t 5. Hence, this part really represents
1 5t + 25
1 1
u5 (t ) e t +5 +
e
.
5
4
20
y=
3 t 1 5 t
1
1 1
e e + u5 (t ) e t +5 + e 5t + 25
2
2
20
5 4
C-2 - 15
u(0) = 0, u(0) = 0.
s
s
2 s
e
Hence,
s
s
2s
e
L{u} = ( s 2 + 4) 2
( s 2 + 4) 2 .
The first part has inverse transform
1
t sin( 2t ) .
4
1
1
u 2 (t )(t 2 ) sin 2(t 2 ) =
u 2 (t )(t 2 ) sin( 2t ) .
4
4
C-2 - 16
u (t ) =
1
1
t sin( 2t ) u 2 (t )(t 2 ) sin( 2t )
4
4
1
4 t sin( 2t ),
=
sin( 2t ),
2
0 t < 2
t 2
Notice that the system was undergoing resonance until the forcing
function was shut off. Then it oscillates at constant amplitude.
2as
Note: L{t sin(at)} = 2
(s + a 2 )2 .
C-2 - 17
Exercises C-2.1:
1. Find (a)
L{u(t) t2},
(b)
L{u4(t) t2 e5t}.
2. Find (a)
(b)
3. Find
4. Suppose f (t) = sin t + u1(t) 5u4(t) 2u5(t) cos t + u9(t), find f (0),
f (), f (2), and f (8).
5 6 Find each definite integral by (a) integration, and (b) using the
properties of Laplace transform.
5.
e ( s +3) t dt
6.
t 2 e st dt
F (t ) = 1 e 4t ,
2 t <5 .
0 ,
5t
C-2 - 18
s
at
2 , find L {e cosh (b t)}.
s b
b
15. Given that L {sinh (b t)} = 2
, find L {t e at sinh (b t)}.
s b2
14. Given that L {cosh (b t)} =
y(0) = 1
17.
y + 6y + 9y = u5(t) et,
y(0) = 10,
y(0) = 0
18.
y + 4y + 5y = u3(t) u6(t),
y(0) = 0,
y(0) = 4
19.
y + 5y + 4y = u10(t) 2u20(t),
y(0) = 2,
y(0) = 0
20.
y + 25y = t t u6(t),
y(0) = 0,
y(0) = 3
Answers C-2.1:
2 2
s 2
F
s
e
(
)
=
+
1. (a)
s 3 s 2 + s ,
2
8
16
4 s 20
.
+
+
(b) F ( s ) = e e
3
2
(
s
5
)
(
s
5
)
s
s +1
3
( s + 1) / 2
F
(
s
)
=
e
,
(b)
.
s 2 + 2s + 5
s2 + 9
2
5
8
3 s 15
+
+
3. F ( s ) = e e
3
2
(
s
+
5
)
(
s
+
5
)
s
+
5
C-2 - 19
10 25
5 s 2
,
6. e 3 + 2 +
s
s
s
s>0
8
2
1
2
5 5 5 s e 20 1
2 s e
+ 3 + 2 + + e
7. F ( s ) = 3 + 2 e
+
4
+
4
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
13. f (t ) =
1
u c (t )(e t + c e t + c )
sa
(s a) 2 b 2
2b ( s a )
15. L {t e at sinh (b t)} =
(( s a ) 2 b 2 ) 2
22
61 61 6 (t 2 )
4
6t
2
e
(t 2) +
16. y = e + u 2 (t ) (t 2) +
9
27 27
3
26
73 61 6t +12
4
e
= e 6 t + u 2 (t ) t 2 t +
9
27 27
3
17. y = 10e
3t
+ 30te
2t
18. y = 4e sin t +
3t
e 5
+
u5 (t ) e t +5 + (9 2t )e 3t +15
4
1
u3 (t ) 1 e 2t +6 cos(t 3) 2e 2 t +6 sin(t 3)
5
1
u6 (t ) 1 e 2t +12 cos(t 6) 2e 2 t +12 sin(t 6)
5
8 t 2 4 t
1 1 t +10 1 4t + 40
+ e
19. y = e e + u10 (t ) e
3
3
4
3
12
1
1 2
u 20 (t ) e t + 20 + e 4 t +80
6
2 3
1
74
1
1
6
t+
sin(5t 30) + t
sin 5t + u6 (t ) cos(5t 30) +
20. y =
25 125
125
25
25
C-2 - 20