1 Laplace transform

1.1 Basics
Examples Obtain the Laplace transform of the following functions

a) f (t) = 7 d) f (t) = cos 2t g) f (t) = e3t j) f (t) = 3t cos 4t

b) f (t) = t e) f (t) = 3 cos 2t h) f (t) = 2t + e4t k) f (t) = sin(2t + 0.5)
c) f (t) = 2t f) f (t) = cos t + 3 sin 2t i) f (t) = t sin 2t l) f (t) = 6 cos(7t + 2)

Answers

a) From the Laplace transform table, we know that L{a} = as . Therefore

7
L{7} =
s

b) From the Laplace transform table, it follows that

n!
L{tn } =
sn+1
hence
1 1
L{t} = L{t1 } = = 2
s1+1 s

c) Laplace transform is a linear operation, thus the homogeneity property holds. Consider function f (t)
and a scalar a, then

L{af (t)} = aL{f (t)}

Consequently
1 2
L{2t} = 2L{t} = 2 2
= 2
s s

d) From the Laplace transform table, it follows that

s
L{cos at} =
s 2 + a2
Thus
s s
L{cos 2t} = = 2
s2 + 22 s +4

e) From the homogeneity property, we know that

s 3s
L{3 cos 2t} = 3L{cos 2t} = 3 = 2
s2 + 22 s +4

f) The Laplace transform is a linear operation, thus it is additive. Consider functions f1 (t) and f1 (t),
then

L{f1 (t) + f2 (t)} = L{f1 (t)} + L{f2 (t)}

Consequently
s 2 s 6
L{cos t + 3 sin 2t} = L{cos t} + L{3 sin 2t} = +3 2 = 2 + 2
s2 + 12 s + 22 s + 12 s +4

1
 g) From the Laplace transform table, it follows that
1
L{eat } =
sa
Then
1 1
L{e3t } = =
s (3) s+3

h)
2 1
L{2t + e4t } = L{2t} + L{e4t } = 2
+
s s+4

i) From the Laplace transform table, it follows that

2as
L{t sin at} =
(s2 + a2 )2

Consequently
2 2s 4s
L{t sin 2t} = = 2
(s2 + 22 )2 (s + 4)2

j) From the Laplace transform table, it follows that

s 2 a2
L{t cos at} =
(s2 + a2 )2

Consequently

s2 42 3s2 48
L{3t cos 4t} = 3L{t cos 4t} = 3 =
(s2 + 42 )2 (s2 + 16)2

k) From the Laplace table

s sin(b) + a cos(b)
L{sin(at + b)} =
s 2 + a2
Consequently

s sin(0.5) + 2 cos(0.5)
L{sin(2t + 0.5)} =
s2 + 4

l) From the Laplace table

s cos(b) a sin(b)
L{cos(at + b)} =
s 2 + a2
Consequently

s cos(2) 7 sin(2)
L{6 cos(7t + 2)} = 6
s2 + 49

Exercise 1 Obtain the Laplace transform of the following functions

a) f (t) = 45 c) f (t) = 2t e) f (t) = 5 sin 0.5t g) f (t) = 3et

b) f (t) = cos 3t d) f (t) = sin 2t + 2 cos 7t f) f (t) = e2t + 2 sin t h) f (t) = 2t + sin t

2
Answers
45 s 2 2 2s 2.5 1 2 3 2 1
1.a) s , b) s2 +9 , c) s2 , d) s2 +4 + s2 +49 , e) s2 +0.25 , f) s+2 + s2 +1 , g) s+1 , h) s2 + s2 +1