1

LECTURE 1a

THE HEAVISIDE FUNCTION, PULSES AND THE SECOND SHIFTING

PROPERTY
The unit step function, or Heaviside function, is defined by

0 𝑡 <0
𝑢(𝑡) 𝑜𝑟 𝐻(𝑡) = { }
1 𝑡 ≥0

Figure 1 is a graph of 𝐻(𝑡). The shifted Heaviside function 𝐻 (𝑡 − 𝑎) is the Heaviside

function shifted 𝑎 units to the right for positive 𝑎. This function is defined by

0 𝑡<𝑎
𝐻(𝑡 − 𝑎) = { }
1 𝑡≥𝑎

𝐻(𝑡)

Figure 1. The Heaviside function 𝐻 (𝑡 ).

𝐻(𝑡 − 3)

3 𝑡

Figure 2. Shifted Heaviside function

A shifted Heaviside function 𝐻 (𝑡 − 𝑎) can be used to turn a signal (function) 𝑓(𝑡) off until
time 𝑡 = 𝑎 , then turn it on for all later times. This is done by multiplying 𝑓(𝑡) by 𝐻(𝑡 − 𝑎):

0 𝑡<𝑎
𝐻 (𝑡 − 𝑎) 𝑓 (𝑡) = { }
𝑓(𝑡) 𝑡 ≥𝑎

ME223 – ADVANCED MATHEMATICS FOR MECHANICAL ENGINEERS

Engr. Dennis E. Ganas
Mechanical Engineering Department MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
 2

A pulse can defined as a difference of two shifted Heaviside functions. If 0 < 𝑎 < 𝑏, then

0 𝑡 <𝑎
𝐻(𝑡 − 𝑎) − 𝐻(𝑡 − 𝑏) = { 1 𝑎≤𝑡 <𝑏 }
0 𝑡≥𝑏

Figure 3 is a graph of this pulse. When f(t) is multiplied by 𝐻(𝑡 − 𝑎) − 𝐻(𝑡 − 𝑏), the effect
is to turn f(t) off at times before a, leave f(t) alone for times 𝑎 ≤ 𝑡 < 𝑏, and then turn f(t) off
again for times 𝑡 ≥ 𝑏. This enables us to take an arbitrary function and erase it (replace it
with zero) outside and interval, while leaving it untouched within the interval.

𝐻 (𝑡 − 𝑎 ) − 𝐻(𝑡 − 𝑏)

𝑎 𝑏 𝑡

Figure 3. A pulse 𝐻(𝑡 − 𝑎) − 𝐻(𝑡 − 𝑏)

The Laplace transform for the Heaviside or unit step function about the point 𝑎, defined
by

0 𝑡 <𝑎
𝑢(𝑡 − 𝑎) 𝑜𝑟 𝐻(𝑡 − 𝑎) = { }
1 𝑡 ≥𝑎

is
∞ 𝑎 ∞ ∞
ℒ{𝑢(𝑡 − 𝑎)} = ∫ 𝑒 −𝑠𝑡 𝑢(𝑡 − 𝑎) 𝑑𝑡 = ∫ 𝑒 (0) 𝑑𝑡 + ∫ 𝑒 −𝑠𝑡 (1) 𝑑𝑡
−𝑠𝑡 = ∫ 𝑒 −𝑠𝑡 𝑑𝑡
0 0 𝑎 𝑎

𝑅 𝑒−𝑠𝑅 −𝑒−𝑠𝑎 𝟏
= lim ∫𝑎 𝑒 −𝑠𝑡 𝑑𝑡 = lim = 𝒆−𝒂𝒔 for 𝑠 > 0.
𝑅→∞ 𝑅→∞ −𝑠 𝒔

Example:

1 𝑖𝑓 0 ≤ 𝑡 < 1
2 𝑖𝑓 1 ≤ 𝑡 < 3
1. Find the Laplace transform of 𝑓 (𝑡) = { }.
4 𝑖𝑓 3 ≤ 𝑡 < 4
2 𝑖𝑓 4 ≤ 𝑡

The graph of this function is shown below. Using the unit step function, we can write
𝑓 (𝑡) = 1 + 𝑢(𝑡 − 1) + 2𝑢(𝑡 − 3) − 6𝑢(𝑡 − 4). It then follows from linearity

ME223 – ADVANCED MATHEMATICS FOR MECHANICAL ENGINEERS

Engr. Dennis E. Ganas
Mechanical Engineering Department MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
 3

that ℒ {𝑓(𝑡)} = ℒ{1} + ℒ{𝑢(𝑡 − 1)} + 2ℒ{𝑢(𝑡 − 3)} − 6ℒ{𝑢(𝑡 − 4)}

𝟏 𝒆−𝒔 𝒆−𝟑𝒔 𝒆−𝟒𝒔

= + +𝟐 −𝟔 for 𝑠 > 0.
𝒔 𝒔 𝒔 𝒔

+2

+1
-6
+1

SECOND TRANSLATION OR SHIFTING PROPERTY

𝑓 (𝑡 − 𝑎) 𝑡 >𝑎
If ℒ {𝑓(𝑡)} = 𝐹(𝑠) and 𝑔(𝑡) = { } then ℒ{𝑔(𝑡)} = 𝑒 −𝑎𝑠 𝐹(𝑠)
0 𝑡 <𝑎
Proof:
∞ 𝑎 ∞
ℒ{𝑔(𝑡)} = ∫ 𝑒 {𝑒 𝑔(𝑡)} 𝑑𝑡 = ∫ 𝑒 𝑔(𝑡) 𝑑𝑡 + ∫ 𝑒 −𝑠𝑡 𝑔(𝑡) 𝑑𝑡
−𝑠𝑡 𝑎𝑡 −𝑠𝑡
0 0 𝑎
𝑎 ∞ ∞
= ∫ 𝑒 −𝑠𝑡 (0) 𝑑𝑡 + ∫ 𝑒 −𝑠𝑡 𝑓(𝑡 − 𝑎) 𝑑𝑡 = ∫ 𝑒 −𝑠(𝑢+𝑎) 𝑓(𝑢) 𝑑𝑢
0 𝑎 0
∞
= 𝑒−𝑎𝑠 ∫ 𝑒−𝑠(𝑢+𝑎) 𝑓(𝑢) 𝑑𝑢 = 𝑒−𝑎𝑠 𝐹(𝑠)
0

where we have used the substitution 𝑡 = 𝑢 + 𝑎.

Observe that 𝑔(𝑡) may be written compactly as 𝑔(𝑡) = 𝑓 (𝑡 − 𝑎) 𝑢(𝑡 − 𝑎) , where 𝑢(𝑡 − 𝑎)
denotes the limit or unit step function. Thus the second shifting property may be stated as
follows: If ℒ{𝑓(𝑡)} = 𝐹(𝑠), then ℒ{𝑓 (𝑡 − 𝑎) 𝑢(𝑡 − 𝑎)} = 𝑒−𝑎𝑠 𝑓(𝑠)

Example:
( )3
1. Find the Laplace transform of 𝑔(𝑡) = { 𝑡 − 2 𝑡 > 2}.
0 𝑡<2
3! 3! 𝟔 𝒆 −𝟐𝒔
Since ℒ {𝑡 3 } = 4, it follows that 𝑎 = 2 and ℒ{𝑔(𝑡)} = 𝑒−2𝑠 or ℒ {𝑔(𝑡) } = .
𝑠 𝑠4 𝒔𝟒

𝑐𝑜𝑠(𝑡 − 2𝜋/3) 𝑡 > 2𝜋/3

2. Find ℒ{𝑓(𝑡) } if 𝑓(𝑡) = { }.
0 𝑡 < 2𝜋/3
𝑠 𝒔 𝒆 −𝟐𝝅/𝟑
Since ℒ {cos 𝑡} = , it follows that 𝑎 = 2𝜋/3 and ℒ{𝑓(𝑡)} = .
𝑠2 +1 𝒔 𝟐+𝟏

ME223 – ADVANCED MATHEMATICS FOR MECHANICAL ENGINEERS

Engr. Dennis E. Ganas
Mechanical Engineering Department MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
 4

0 𝑡<3
3. Find ℒ{𝑓(𝑡) } if 𝑓(𝑡) = { 𝑡−3 }.
𝑒 𝑡<3
1 𝟏
Since ℒ {𝑒 𝑡 } = , with 𝑎 = 3 then ℒ {𝑓(𝑡)} = 𝒆−𝟑𝒔 .
𝑠−1 𝒔−𝟏

0 𝑡<3
4. Find ℒ{𝑓(𝑡)} if 𝑓 (𝑡) = { }.
𝑒𝑡 𝑡<3
If we write 𝑒 𝑡 = 𝑒 3 𝑒 𝑡−3, then 𝑓 (𝑡) = 𝑒 3 𝑒 𝑡−3 𝑢(𝑡 − 3), and
1 𝟏
ℒ {𝑓(𝑡)} = ℒ{𝑒 3 𝑒 𝑡−3 𝑢(𝑡 − 3)} = 𝑒 3 ℒ{𝑒 𝑡−3 𝑢(𝑡 − 3)} = 𝑒 3 𝑒 −3𝑠 = 𝒆−𝟑(𝒔−𝟏) .
𝑠−1 𝒔−𝟏

5. Find the Laplace Transform of 𝑢(𝑥 − 𝜋) cos 2(𝑥 − 𝜋).

𝑠 𝒔
Since ℒ {cos 2 𝑡} = , it follows that ℒ{𝑢(𝑥 − 𝜋) cos 2(𝑥 − 𝜋)} = 𝒆−𝝅 𝒔 .
𝑠2 +4 𝒔 𝟐+𝟒

PRACTICE PROBLEMS: (Note: try to graph first before answering!)

4𝑡
1. Find the Laplace transform of (𝑡) = { 𝑒 𝑡 < 3 } . Ans. 𝓛{𝒇(𝒕)} = 𝒆 −𝟑(𝒔−𝟒)
0 𝑡 <3 𝒔−𝟒

0 𝑡 < 4} 𝟐 𝟖 𝟏𝟔
2. Find ℒ {𝑔(𝑡)} if 𝑔(𝑡) = { 2 . Ans. 𝓛{𝒈(𝒕)} = 𝒆−𝟒𝒔 (𝒔𝟑 + 𝒔𝟐 + 𝒔 )
𝑡 𝑡≥4
0 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡 < 2
3. Determine the Laplace transform of 𝑔(𝑡 ) = { 2 }.
𝑡 + 1 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡 ≥ 2
𝟐 𝟒 𝟓
Ans. 𝓛{𝒈(𝒕)} = 𝒆−𝟐𝒔 (𝒔𝟑 + 𝒔𝟐 + 𝒔 )

𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 0 ≤ 𝑡 < 3 𝟏 𝟏𝟏 𝟒
4. Find ℒ {𝑔(𝑡)} if 𝑔(𝑡) = { }. Ans. 𝓛{𝒈(𝒕)} = 𝟐 − 𝒆−𝟑𝒔 − 𝟐 𝒆−𝟑𝒔
1 − 3𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡 ≥ 3 𝒔 𝒔 𝒔

𝑡−2 𝑓𝑜𝑟 0 ≤ 𝑡 < 16

5. Find ℒ{𝑓(𝑡)} if 𝑓(𝑡 ) = { }. Ans. 𝓛{𝒈(𝒕)} = 𝟏𝟐 − 𝟐 + (𝟏 − 𝟏𝟐) 𝒆−𝟏𝟔𝒔
−1 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡 ≥ 16 𝒔 𝒔 𝒔 𝒔

ME223 – ADVANCED MATHEMATICS FOR MECHANICAL ENGINEERS

Engr. Dennis E. Ganas
Mechanical Engineering Department MECHANICAL ENGINEERING