Laplace Transforms of Special

Functions-Unit Step Function

y
Write the function of each of H (t )
the following graphs f (t )  1, t  0
1
t
H (t  1) 0 H (t  2 )
y y
f (t )  0, 0  t  1 f (t )  0, 0  t  2
f (t )  1, t  1 f (t )  1, t  2
1 1
t t
0 1 0 2
 Laplace Transforms of Special
Functions-Unit Step Function
y f (t )  1 y

1 1
t t
0 1 0 2
0, 0  t  1 0, 0  t  2
y  f (t ) H (t  1)    y  f (t ) H (t  2 )   
1 t 1  1 t2 
0, 0  t  1 0, 0  t  2
y  1* H (t  1)    y  1* H (t  2)   
 1 t  1   1 t  2 
is called a unit step function or
the Heaviside step function
Write the function of each of
the following graphs
y y  f (t )  0, 0  t  1
 
f (t )  t  f (t )  t t 1 
0, 0  t  1
1 1  t 
1 t 1 
t t
0 1 0 1
is Heaviside
f1 (t )  t f 2 (t )  tH (t  1) step function
 H (t  1)
 Laplace Transforms of Special
Functions- t-shifting
y  f (t )  0, 0  t  1
 
f (t )  t  1  f (t )  t  1 t 1 
1 0, 0  t  1
 (t  1)  
t 1 t 1 
0 1
f 3 (t )  f (t ) H (t  1) is Heaviside
 (t  1) H (t  1) step function
 H (t  1)
is called t  shifting
 Properties Of The Laplace Transform
Laplace Transform of unit step function

e  as
LH (t  a )  , a0
s
0, 0  t  a
since H (t  a )  
1, ta
thus from the defination of the laplace transform, we have
a 
LH (t  a )   e  st
 0dt   e  st 1dt
0 a

 st 
 as
  e  e
 e  st dt    
a
 s a s
 Try this

1 ) L H ( t  5 ) 

2 ) L 3 H ( t  2 ) 
Properties Of The Laplace Transform
Second Shift Property
If a  0 and L f (t )  F ( s ) then
L f (t  a ) H (t  a )  e  as L f (t )  e  as F ( s )
and
L f (t ) H (t  a )  e  as L f (t  a )
also
 
L1 e  as F ( s )  f (t  a ) H (t  a )
0, 0  t  a
since f (t  a ) H (t  a )  f (t  a )
1, ta
 0, 0t a

 f (t  a ) ta
therefore, L f (t  a ) H (t  a )
a 
 st
 e  0dt   e  st f (t  a ) dt
0 a

  e  st f (t  a ) dt , subtitutin g p  t  a
a
 
s ( pa)  as
 e f ( p ) dp e  e  sp f ( p ) dp
a a

 e  as L f (t )  e  as F ( s )

 L f (t  a ) H (t  a )  e  as F ( s )
 Try this
1 ) L 2 ( t  1 ) H ( t  1 )  ( t  2 ) H ( t  2 ) 

 2
2 ) L (t  3) H (t  3) 
3 ) L sin 2 ( t   ) H ( t   ) 

 t
4 ) L e H (t  2 ) 
 Laplace Transforms of Special
Functions- Step Function

a step function is a function of the form

 g1 0  t  a1
g a1  t  a2
 2
g (t )    
g an  2  t  an 1
 n 1
 g n t  an 1
It can be written in terms of unit step functions as follows

g (t )  g1  g 2  g1 H (t  a1 )  .....  g n  g n 1 H (t  an 1 )
 Laplace Transforms of Special
Functions- Step Function
Express the following graph in terms of unit step function
and then find the Laplace transform
y 1  t 0  t  1
f (t )  
t  1 t 1
1 y  f1 (t ) a  1, g1  1  t and g 2  t  1, so
t f (t )  g1  g 2  g1 H (t  a )
0 1 2
f (t )  1  t  t  1  1  t H (t  1)
Lf (t )  L1  Lt 2 L(t  1) H (t  1)  1  t  2(t  1) H (t  1)
1 1
  2  2e  s Lt
s s
1 1 2e  s
  2 2
s s s
Example :
Find the Laplace transform of the following
2
1

4 7
-1
Express the following step function in terms of unit step function
and then find the Laplace transform
et 0t 3 e t  g1 0  t  (3  a )
f (t )   f (t )  
0 t3  0 g 2 t  (3  a )
f (t )  g1  g 2  g1 H (t  a )
L f (t)H(t  a)  easL f (t  a)
 
f (t )  et  0  e t H (t  3)
t t
f (t )  e  e H (t  3)
   
L et H(t 3)  e3s L et3

 
L f (t )  L e  L e H (t  3)
t t
  e Le e 
3s 3 t

 e e Le 
3 3s t

1 e3(s1)

Le t

s 1 
s 1
1 e 3( s 1) 1  e 3( s 1)
L f (t )   
s 1 s 1 s 1
alternativ e method for L e t H (t  3)  
   
L e t H (t  3)  L e ( t 3)  3 H (t  3)
 Le e H (t  3)
3 ( t 3)

 e Le H (t  3)
3 ( t 3)

 e e Le 
3 3 s t

3 3 s 1 
 e e
 s  1
e 3( s 1)

s 1