CHEE 319 Tutorial 3 Solutions

1. Using partial fraction expansions, find the causal function f whose Laplace transform
Z
f (t)est dt
F (s) ,
0

is given by:
(1.1) F (s) =

2
s(s+2) ;

Solution: Note that the polynomial s(s + 2) in the denominator of F (s) is of the form
Q
n
i=1 (s pi ), where the pi are all distinct. We can therefore use the so-called cover-up
method. We want to write
F (s) =

C1
C2
+
.
s
s+2

Lets find the constants C1 and C2 . We start with C1 . We have

sF (s) = C1 +

sC2
.
s+2

It follows that C1 = (sF (s))|s=0 , so that



2s 
2 
2
C1 =
=
= = 1.
s(s + 2) s=0 (s + 2) s=0 2
Similarly, we have
(s + 2)F (s) =

(s + 2)C1
+ C2 .
s

It follows that C2 = ((s + 2)F (s))|s=2 , so that


2(s + 2) 
C2 =
=
s(s + 2) s=2


2 
= 1.
s s=2

Hence,
F (s) =

1
1

.
s s+2

Using the Laplace table, as well as linearity of the inverse Laplace transform, we see that
f is the causal function

f (t) =

(1.2) F (s) =

10
s(s+1)(s+10) ;

1 e2t , t 0
.
0,
t<0

Solution: Since the polynomial s(s + 1)(s + 10) in the denominator of F (s) is of the form
Q
n
i=1 (s pi ), where the pi are all distinct, we can use the cover-up method as we did
in (1.1). We want to write
F (s) =

C1
C2
C3
+
+
.
s
s + 1 s + 10

Lets find the constants C1 , C2 , and C3 , starting with C1 . We have

sF (s) = C1 +

sC3
sC2
+
.
s + 1 s + 10

It follows that C1 = (sF (s))|s=0 , so that





10
10s


=
= 1.
C1 =

s(s + 1)(s + 10) s=0 (s + 1)(s + 10) s=0
Similarly, for C2 we have
(s + 1)F (s) =

(s + 1)C3
(s + 1)C1
+ C2 +
,
s
s + 10

It follows that C2 = ((s + 1)F (s))|s=1 , so that





10
10
10(s + 1)


=
= .
C2 =


s(s + 1)(s + 10) s=1 s(s + 10) s=1
9
Finally, for C3 we have
(s + 10)F (s) =

(s + 10)C1 (s + 10)C2
+
+ C3 .
s
s+1

It follows that C3 = ((s + 10)F (s))|s=10 , so that



10 
10
1
10(s + 10) 
=
=
= .
C3 =


s(s + 1)(s + 10) s=10 s(s + 1) s=10 90
9
Hence,
F (s) =

1 10
1
1
1

+
.
s
9 s + 1 9 s + 10

As in (1.1), using the Laplace table, as well as linearity of the inverse Laplace transform,
we see that f is the causal function

f (t) =

(1.3) F (s) =

1
0,

10 t
9 e

+ 91 e10t , t 0
.
t<0

3s+2
;
s2 +4s+20

Solution: Denoting 2 + 4i by z, we see that the denominator of F (s) factors as s2 +

4s + 20 = (s + z)(s + z). (Here the overline denotes complex conjugation. That is, if
2

z = a + bi, then z , a bi.) Since z, z are distinct, we can proceed as in (1.1) and (1.2).
We want to write
F (s) =

C1
C2
+
.
s+z s+z

Lets find C1 . We have C1 = ((s + z)F (s))|s=z , so that



3s + 2 
3z + 2
(s + z)(3s + 2) 
3(2 + 4i) + 2
4 12i
=
=
C1 =
=
=
,


(s + z)(s + z) s=z
s + z s=z
z + z
2 4i + 2 4i
8i
or C1 = 3/2 i/2. Similarly, C2 = ((s + z)F (s))|s=z , so that


(s + z)(3s + 2) 
3s + 2 
3z + 2
3(2 4i) + 2
4 + 12i
C2 =
=
=
=
=
,
(s + z)(s + z) s=z
s + z s=z
z + z
2 + 4i + 2 + 4i
8i
or C2 = 3/2 + i/2. Hence
F (s) =

3/2 i/2 3/2 + i/2

+
.
s+z
s+z

As in (1.1) and (1.2), it follows that f is the function given by

f (t) = (3/2 i/2)ezt + (3/2 + i/2)ezt
= (3/2 i/2)e(24i)t + (3/2 + i/2)e(2+4i)t
= e2t [3/2 (ei4t + ei4t ) i/2 (ei4t ei4t )]


ei4t + ei4t
ei4t ei4t
2t
=e
3
i
2
2


ei4t + ei4t
ei4t ei4t
= e2t 3
+i
2
2


i4t
i4t
i4t
i4t
e e
e +e
2t

=e
3
2
2i
= 3e2t cos(4t) e2t sin(4t)
when t 0. (Here we have used Eulers identity for the sine and cosine functions in the
last line.) Hence f is the causal function

f (t) =

3e2t cos(4t) e2t sin(4t), t 0

.
0,
t<0

OR
Solution 2: Noting the Laplace transform pairs

(s + a)2 + 2
s+a
eat cos t
(s + a)2 + 2
eat sin t

and completing the square on the denominator of F (s):

F (s) =

3s + 2
(s + 2)2 + 42

we see that




s + 2 4/3
3s + 2
s + 2/3
=3
F (s) =
=3
(s + 2)2 + 42
(s + 2)2 + 42
(s + 2)2 + 42


s+2
4
=3

(s + 2)2 + 42
(s + 2)2 + 42
and the solution f (t) follows.
(1.4) F (s) =

3s2 +9s+12
;
(s+2)(s2 +5s+11)

Solution: The denominator of F (s) factors as (s + 2)(s2 + 5s + 11) = (s + 2)(s + z)(s + z),
where

5
19
z , +i
.
2
2
Since 2, z, z are distinct, we can proceed as in (1.1)(1.3). We want to write
F (s) =

C1
C2
C3
+
+
.
s+2 s+z s+z

Lets find C1 . We have C1 = ((s + 2)F (s))|s=2 , so that



(s + 2)(3s2 + 9s + 12) 
3s2 + 9s + 12 
6
C1 =
= 2
= .


2
(s + 2)(s + 5s + 11) s=2
s + 5s + 11 s=2 5
For C2 , we have C2 = ((s + z)F (s))|s=z , so that


3s2 + 9s + 12 
9
51
(s + z)(3s2 + 9s + 12) 
=
=

i 19.
C2 =
(s + 2)(s + z)(s + z) s=z
(s + 2)(s + z) s=z
10 190
Similarly, C3 = ((s + z)F (s))|s=z , so that


(s + z)(3s2 + 9s + 12) 
3s2 + 9s + 12 
9
51
C3 =
=
=
+
i 19.
(s + 2)(s + z)(s + z) s=z
(s + 2)(s + z) s=z
10 190
It follows that f is the function given by




6 2t
9
51
9
51
zt
f (t) = e
+

i 19 e
+
+
i 19 ezt
5
10 190
10 190





6 2t
9
51
9
51
(5/2i 19/2)t
+
= e
+

i 19 e
+
i 19 e(5/2+i 19/2)t
5
10 190
10 190



6 2t
9 i 19t/2
51
5t/2
i 19t/2
i 19t/2
i 19t/2
= e
+e
(e
i 19(e
+e
)+
e
)
5
10
190
"
#

i 19t/2 + ei 19t/2
6 2t
51 19 ei 19t/2 ei 19t/2
5t/2 9 e
= e
+e

5
5
2
95
2i

6
9
51 19 5t/2
= e2t + e5t/2 cos( 19t/2)
e
sin( 19t/2)
5
5
95
4

when t 0. Hence f is the causal function

(

6 2t
e
+ 95 e5t/2 cos( 19t/2)
5
f (t) =
0,

51 19 5t/2
sin( 19t/2),
95 e

t0
.
t<0

(1.5) F (s) = s16 .

Solution: We can simply look this one up in the table, which tells us that f is the causal
function
 t5
5! , t 0 .
f (t) =
0, t < 0
2. Find the causal function f whose Laplace transform is given by:
(2.1) F (s) =

1
;
s(s+2)2

Solution:
Note that the denominator s(s + 2)2 of F (s) cannot be written in the form
Qn
i=1 (s pi ), where the pi are all distinct. As we have seen in the lectures, we must
make use of Heavisides theorem to find the partial fraction expansion of F (s). We want
to write
C2
C3
C1
+
+
.
F (s) =
s
s + 2 (s + 2)2
The constants C1 , C2 and C3 are given by


1
1

C1 = (sF (s))|s=0 =
= ;

2
(s + 2) s=0 4



d
d 
1
1
2
C2 =
(s + 2) F (s) =
= ;
ds s=2
ds s=2 s
4

1
1
C3 = ((s + 2)2 F (s))|s=2 = 
= ,
s
2
s=2

so that
F (s) =

1/4
1/4
1/2

s
s + 2 (s + 2)2

Consulting the table, we see that f is the causal function

 1
1 2t
21 te2t , t 0
41 4e
f (t) =
.
0,
t<0
(2.2) F (s) =

2(s+2)(s+5)2
;
(s+1)(s2 +4)2

Solution: As in (2.1), it is clear from looking at the denominator of F (s) that we must
make use of Heavisides theorem. The denominator of F (s) can be written as (s+1)(s2 +
4)2 = (s + 1)(s2 + 4)(s2 + 4) = (s + 1)(s + 2i)2 (s 2i)2 . We want to write
F (s) =

C1
C2
C3
C4
C5
+
+
+
+
.
s + 1 s + 2i (s + 2i)2 s 2i (s 2i)2
5

The constants C1 , C2 , C3 , C4 and C5 are given by


2(s + 2)(s + 5)2 
32
=
= ;

2
2
(s + 4)
25
s=1

C1 = ((s + 1)F (s))|s=1


d 
16 579
C2 =
(s + 2i)2 F (s) = +
i;

ds s=2i
25 200


2(s + 2)(s + 5)2 
83 39
=
= + i;

2
(s + 1)(s 2i) s=2i
20 20

C3 = ((s + 2i) F (s))|s=2i


16 579
d 
(s 2i)2 F (s) =
C4 =
i;

ds s=2i
25 200
C5 = ((s 2i)2 F (s))|s=2i =


2(s + 2)(s + 5)2 
83 39
= i,
(s + 1)(s + 2i)2 s=2i
20 20

so that
F (s) =

32/25 16/25 + 579i/200 83/20 + 39i/20 16/25 579i/200

+
+
+
s+1
s + 2i
(s + 2i)2
s 2i
83/20 39i/20
.
+
(s 2i)2

After performing some straightforward manipulations as in (1.4), and consulting the

table, we see that f is the function given by




32 t 32
579
83 39
83 39
2it
f (t) = e
cos(2t) +
sin(2t) + + i te
+ i te2it
25
25
100
20 20
20 20
when t 0. Using Eulers identity again, we can write this in a more recognizable
fashion as
f (t) =

32 t 32
579
83
39
e
cos(2t) +
sin(2t) t cos(2t) t sin(2t).
25
25
100
10
10

Hence f is the causal function


f (t) =

(2.3) F (s) =

32 t
25 e

32
25

cos(2t) +

579
100

sin(2t)

83
10 t cos(2t)

39
10 t sin(2t),

0,

t0
.
t<0

s2 1
.
(s2 +1)2

Solution: Proceeding as in (2.2), we write the denominator as (s2 + 1)2 = (s + i)2 (s i)2 .
We want to write
F (s) =

C1
C2
C3
C4
+
+
+
.
2
s + i (s + i)
s i (s i)2

The constants C1 , C2 , C3 and C4 are given by


d 
C1 =
(s + i)2 F (s) = 0;
ds s=i

s2 1 
1
=
= ;

2
(s i) s=i 2

C2 = ((s + i) F (s))|s=i

d 
C3 =
(s i)2 F (s) = 0;
ds s=i
C4 = ((s i)2 F (s))|s=i =


1
s2 1 
= ,
(s + i)2 s=i 2

so that
F (s) =

1/2
1/2
+
.
2
(s + i)
(s i)2

Consulting the table, we see that f is the function given by

 it

1 it 1 it
e + eit
f (t) = te + te = t
= t cos(t)
2
2
2
when t 0. Hence f is the causal function

f (t) =

t cos(t), t 0
.
0,
t<0

3. Solve the following scalar initial-value problems using the Laplace transform:
(3.1) y(t) + y(t)
+ 4y(t) = 0, with initial conditions y(0) = 1 and y(0)

= 2;
Solution: Taking the Laplace transform of both sides, and denoting the Laplace transform
of y by Y , we have
s2 Y (s) sy(0) y(0)

+ sY (s) y(0) + 4Y (s) = 0.

Plugging in the initial conditions, we obtain
s2 Y (s) s 2 + sY (s) 1 + 4Y (s) = 0.
Isolating Y (s), we obtain
Y (s) =

s+3
s+3
=
,
s2 + s + 4
(s + z)(s + z)

where

1
15
z, +
i.
2
2

Lets use a partial fraction expansion to find y, as we did in Question 1. Obviously we

can use the cover-up method. We want to write
Y (s) =

C2
C1
+
.
s+z s+z

As in Question 1, we can perform straightforward calculations to show that the constants

C1 and C2 are given by

1
15
C1 = ((s + z)Y (s))|s=z =
i;
2 6
1
15
C2 = ((s + z)Y (s))|s=z = +
i,
2
6
and that

y(t) = et/2 cos( 15t/2)

15 t/2
sin(
3 e

15t/2).

(3.2) y(t) + y(t)

= t, with initial conditions y(0) = 1 and y(0)

= 1.
Solution: Taking the Laplace transform of both sides as in (3.1), we have
s2 Y (s) sy(0) y(0)

+ sY (s) y(0) =

1
.
s2

Plugging in the initial conditions, we obtain

s2 Y (s) s + sY (s) =

1
.
s2

Isolating Y (s) and rearranging terms, we obtain

Y (s) =

1
s2
s2

+s
s3 + 1
1
1
= 3
=
+ 3
.
+s
s (s + 1)
s + 1 s (s + 1)

For the partial fraction expansion of the second term of Y (s), we want to write
1
C1 C2 C3
C4
=
+ 2 + 3 +
.
+ 1)
s
s
s
s+1

s3 (s

The constants C1 , C2 , C3 and C4 are given by




1 d2 
1
1
2

C1 =
=
= 1;

2
3
2 ds s=0 s + 1
2 (s + 1) s=0



d 
1
1

C2 =
=

= 1;
ds s=0 s + 1
(s + 1)2 s=0

1 
C3 =
= 1;
s + 1 s=0



1
1 

C4 = ((s + 1) 3
)
=
= 1,
s (s + 1) s=1 s3 s=1
8

so that
Y (s) =

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
+ 2+ 3
= 2 + 3.
s+1 s s
s
s+1
s s
s

Consulting the table, we see that

y(t) = 1 t + 12 t2 .