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Sectionally
continuous (or piecewise continuous) function. Function of
exponential order. Piecewise regular function. Inverse
Laplace transform. Properties of Laplace transforms.Initial
and final-value theorems.
Use of Laplace transforms. Laplace transforms find wide use in solving linear differential equations
with constant coefficients, linear constant-coefficient integro-differential equations, convolution type integral
equations, difference equations, differential-difference equations and many boundary value problems.
Dirichlet conditions. The following conditions on a function defined over some interval [a, b] are called
the Dirichlet conditions:
Def. Sectionally continuous (or piecewise continuous) function. A function f (x) is said to
be sectionally continuous (or piecewise continuous) on an interval a x b if the interval can be
subdivided into a finite number of intervals in each of which the function is continuous and has finite right
and left hand limits. See Fig. 1. The requirement that a function be sectionally continuous on some interval
[a, b] is equivalent to the requirement that it meet the Dirichlet conditionson the interval.
Def. Laplace transform. Let F(t) be a real-valued function of the real variable t defined on the positive
portion of the real axis, t 0. Then the Laplace transform of F(t), denoted by L [F(t)], is defined as
where in general s is real, but for some considerations needs to be viewed as complex.
must converge for some range of values of s. A sufficient condition for this integral to converge is that F(t) be
of exponential order.
Note. When talking about the Laplace transform of functions it is tacitly assumed that the function is
defined only on the positive portion of the real axis, t 0, and is undefined or zero in the negative portion of
the axis.
Def. Function of exponential order. A function F(t) is said to be of exponential order if there exist
real constants , M, and T such that
or, equivalently,
If condition 3) holds for = 1, then it will obviously hold for all s greater than 1. The greatest lower
bound 0 of the set of all s for which 3) is satisfied is called the abscissa of convergence of F(t).
From 3) one can see that if a function is of exponential order its absolute value need not remain bounded as
t , but it must not increase more rapidly than some constant multiple of a simple exponential function
of t.
Def. Piecewise regular function. A piecewise regular function is a function defined on the positive
real axis, t 0, that is sectionally continuous in every finite subinterval of that axis (every finite subinterval
of the positive real axis 0 t ).
Theorem 1. Let F(t) is a piecewise regular function defined on the positive real axis, t 0. Let F(x) be of
exponential order. Then its Laplace transform f(s) exists for all s > 0, where 0 is the abscissa of
convergence of f(t).
Inverse Laplace transform. Let F(t) is a piecewise regular function defined on the positive real axis,
t 0. Let F(x) be of exponential order. Then the Laplace transform
of F(t) exists in the half-plane of the complex variable s for which the real part of s is greater than the
abscissa of convergence 0 of F(t) i.e. R(s) > 0. In addition, the inverse Laplace transformation L-1[f(s)]
also exists in this half-plane and is given by
where > 0. This path of integration represents a path lying to the right of all of the singularities of f (s).
F(t)
1. 1
2. t
3.
4.
5. sin at
6. cos at
7. sinh at
8. cosh at
Proofs
1. Linearity property. Let c1 and c2 be any constants and F1(t) and F2(t) be functions with Laplace
transforms f1(s) and f2(s) respectively. Then
Proof
Example.
We thus see that a Laplace transform effects a linear transformation. A Laplace transform represents what is
called a linear operator.
6) L[eatF(t)] = f(s - a)
Proof
We note that the function f(s - a) is the function f(s) shifted to the right by a distance a.
Then
Proof
Solution. Since
4. Change of scale property. If L[F(t)] = f(s) then
Proof
Solution. Since
we obtain
Theorem 2. Let F(t) be a continuous, piecewise regular function of exponential order. Furthermore, let F '(t)
be sectionally continuous. Then if L[F (t)] = f(s), the Laplace transform of F '(t) is given by the formula
Proof
If F(t) is discontinuous at t = 0 but the limit as t approaches zero from the right
exists, then the formula is
Note. Note that in the case where F(t) is continuous at t = 0, L[F '(t)] is also given by
since in this case F(0) = F(0+). Thus 10) applies to both cases.
where the quantity F(a+) - F(a-) is called the jump at the discontinuity t = a. If there is more than one
discontinuity, appropriate modifications can be made.
Theorem 3. Let F (t) and F '(t) be continuous, piecewise regular functions of exponential order.
Furthermore, let F ''(t) be sectionally continuous. Then if L[F (t)] = f(s), the Laplace transform of F ''(t) is
given by
Problem. Let F(t) = cos 4t. Find L[F '(t)] i.e. L[- 4 sin 4t]
Solution. Since
we have
Proof
Example. Since
we have
Solution. Since
we have
exists.
Example. Since
we have
9. Periodic functions. Let F(t) have the period T so that F(t + T) = F(t). See Fig. 2. Then
Proof
11. Initial -value theorem. Let L[F(t)] = f(s) and let F(t) and F '(t) both be piecewise regular and of
exponential order. Then
Proof
12. Final -value theorem. Let L[F(t)] = f(s). If F(t) and F '(t) are both piecewise regular and of
exponential order, and if the abscissa of convergence of F '(t) is negative, then
Notation. If, for two functions p(t) and q(t), , we say that for values of t near t = a, p(t) is
approximately equal to q(t) and write p(t) ~ q(t) as t a.
13. Generalization of initial -value theorem. Let L[F(t)] = f(s) and L[G(t)] = g(s). Then if F(t) ~
G(t) as t 0, then f(s) ~ g(s) as s
14. Generalization of final -value theorem. Let L[F(t)] = f(s) and L[G(t)] = g(s). Then if F(t) ~ G(t)
as t then f(s) ~ g(s) as s 0.
Proof. By definition
or