Ch 6.

3: Step Functions
Some of the most interesting elementary applications of the
Laplace Transform method occur in the solution of linear
equations with discontinuous or impulsive forcing functions.
In this section, we will assume that all functions considered are
piecewise continuous and of exponential order, so that their
Laplace Transforms all exist, for s large enough.

Step Function definition
Let c > 0. The unit step function, or Heaviside function, is
defined by




A negative step can be represented by

>
<
=
c t
c t
t u
c
, 1
, 0
) (

>
<
= =
c t
c t
t u t y
c
, 0
, 1
) ( 1 ) (
Example 1
Sketch the graph of


Solution: Recall that u
c
(t) is defined by


Thus




and hence the graph of h(t) is a rectangular pulse.
0 ), ( ) ( ) (
2
> = t t u t u t h
t t

>
<
=
c t
c t
t u
c
, 1
, 0
) (

< s
< s
< s
=
t
t
t
t h
t
t t
t
2 0
2 , 1
0 , 0
) (
Laplace Transform of Step Function
The Laplace Transform of u
c
(t) is




{ }
s
e
s
e
s
e
e
s
dt e
dt e dt t u e t u L
cs
cs bs
b
b
c
st
b
b
c
st
b
c
st
c
st
c

=
(

+ =
(
(

= =
= =
}
} }
lim
1
lim lim
) ( ) (
0
Translated Functions
Given a function f (t) defined for t > 0, we will often want to
consider the related function g(t) = u
c
(t) f (t - c):


Thus g represents a translation of f a distance c in the
positive t direction.
In the figure below, the graph of f is given on the left, and
the graph of g on the right.

>
<
=
c t c t f
c t
t g
), (
, 0
) (
Example 2
Sketch the graph of


Solution: Recall that u
c
(t) is defined by


Thus



and hence the graph of g(t) is a shifted parabola.
. 0 , ) ( where ), ( ) 1 ( ) (
2
1
> = = t t t f t u t f t g

>
<
=
c t
c t
t u
c
, 1
, 0
) (

>
< s
=
1 , ) 1 (
1 0 , 0
) (
2
t t
t
t g
Theorem 6.3.1
If F(s) = L{f (t)} exists for s > a > 0, and if c > 0, then


Conversely, if f (t) = L
-1
{F(s)}, then


Thus the translation of f (t) a distance c in the positive t
direction corresponds to a multiplication of F(s) by e
-cs
.
{ } { } ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( s F e t f L e c t f t u L
cs cs
c

= =
{ } ) ( ) ( ) (
1
s F e L c t f t u
cs
c

=
Theorem 6.3.1: Proof Outline
We need to show


Using the definition of the Laplace Transform, we have
{ }
) (
) (
) (
) (
) ( ) ( ) ( ) (
0
0
) (
0
s F e
du u f e e
du u f e
dt c t f e
dt c t f t u e c t f t u L
cs
su cs
c u s
c t u
c
st
c
st
c

+
=

=
=
=
=
=
}
}
}
}
{ } ) ( ) ( ) ( s F e c t f t u L
cs
c

=
Example 3
Find the Laplace transform of



Solution: Note that


Thus
) ( ) 1 ( ) (
1
2
t u t t f =

>
< s
=
1 , ) 1 (
1 0 , 0
) (
2
t t
t
t f
{ } { } { }
3
2 2
1
2
) 1 )( ( ) (
s
e
t L e t t u L t f L
s
s

= = =
Example 4
Find L{ f (t)}, where f is defined by




Note that f (t) = sin(t) + u
t/4
(t) cos(t - t/4), and

> +
< s
=
4 / ), 4 / cos( sin
4 / 0 , sin
) (
t t
t
t t t
t t
t f
{ } { } { }
{ } { }
1
1
1 1
1
cos sin
) 4 / cos( ) ( sin ) (
2
4 /
2
4 /
2
4 /
4 /
+
+
=
+
+
+
=
+ =
+ =

s
se
s
s
e
s
t L e t L
t t u L t L t f L
s
s
s
t
t
t
t
t
Example 5
Find L
-1
{F(s)}, where


Solution:
4
7
3
) (
s
e
s F
s
+
=
( )
3
7
3
4
7 1
4
1
4
7
1
4
1
7 ) (
6
1
2
1
! 3
6
1 ! 3
2
1
3
) (
+ =
)
`

+
)
`

=
)
`

+
)
`

t t u t
s
e L
s
L
s
e
L
s
L t f
s
s
Theorem 6.3.2
If F(s) = L{f (t)} exists for s > a > 0, and if c is a constant,
then

Conversely, if f (t) = L
-1
{F(s)}, then


Thus multiplication f (t) by e
ct
results in translating F(s) a
distance c in the positive t direction, and conversely.
Proof Outline:
{ } c a s c s F t f e L
ct
+ > = ), ( ) (
{ } ) ( ) (
1
c s F L t f e
ct
=

{ } ) ( ) ( ) ( ) (
0
) (
0
c s F dt t f e dt t f e e t f e L
t c s ct st ct
= = =
} }

Example 4
Find the inverse transform of


To solve, we first complete the square:


Since


it follows that
5 2
1
) (
2
+ +
+
=
s s
s
s G
( )
( )
( ) 4 1
1
4 1 2
1
5 2
1
) (
2 2 2
+ +
+
=
+ + +
+
=
+ +
+
=
s
s
s s
s
s s
s
s G
{ } { } ( ) t e t f e s F L s G L
t t
2 cos ) ( ) 1 ( ) (
1 1
= = + =
{ } ( ) t
s
s
L s F L t f 2 cos
4
) ( ) (
2
1 1
=
)
`

+
= =