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ME : Mechanical Engineering
Engineering Mathematics  Laplace Transforms
MODULE  4

INDEX
Page
Contents Topics
No.
1.1 Definition 1
1.2 Laplace transform of some basic functions 1
1.3 Properties of Laplace Transform 3
1.4 Laplace Transform of Derivatives 5
1.5 Laplace Transform of Integral 8
Notes n
1.6 Multiplication by t 9
1.7 Division by t 11
1.8 Laplace Transform of Periodic Functions 13
1.9 Application to Differential Equations 15
List of Formulae 20
Assignment  1 21
Assignments Assignment  2 24
Assignment  3 27
Test Paper  1 30
Test Paper  2 32
Test Papers
Test Paper  3 34
Test Paper  4 36
Solutions
Answer Key 38
Assignments
Model Solutions 39
Answer Key 49
Test Papers
Model Solutions 50
 Laplace Transforms
1.1 Definition
Let f(t) be a function defined for t t 0. Then the integral
f

³e
 st
F(s) f(t)dt
0

is called the laplace transform of f(t) provided the integral exists. The laplace transform of
f(t) is usually denoted by L[f(t)], where L is called the laplace transform operator. i.e
L[f(t)] = F(s)
The original function f(t) is called the inverse Laplace transform and we write

L1[F(s)] = f(t)

Sufficient Condition for Existence of Laplace Transform

o A function having a finite number of discontinuities in the interval [a, b] (otherwise
called piecewise continuous) and is of exponential order has a Laplace transform.
o A function having finite number of maximum and minimum in interval [a, b]

1.2 Laplace transform of some basic functions

f(t) = L [F(s)]
1
L[f(t)] = F(s)
1
1
s
n n!
t n = 1, 2…
sn  1
n (n  1)
t n > 1
sn 1
at 1
e s>a
sa
a
sin at s>0
s2  a 2
s
cos at s> 0
s  a2
2

a
sinh at s! a
s  a2
2

s
cosh at s! a
s2  a 2

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Vidyalankar : GATE – Engineering Mathematics

Solved Example 1 : 3 2 1 6
= . 2  . 2
Find the laplace transform of the piecewise 4 s 4 4 s  36
continuous function 3 ª 1 1 º
= «  2 »
­0, 0 d t  2 2 ¬ s2  4 s  36 ¼
f(t) ®
¯K, t t 2, K constant
Solved Example 4 :
Solution :
Find L ª¬ t 2  2t  3 º¼
f f
L[f(t)] = ³0 e st f(t) dt = ³ Ke st dt
Solution :
2

f L ª¬t2  2t  3º¼ = L ª¬ t 2 º¼  2L[t]  3L[1]

ª e st º Ke 2s
= K « » = , s!0
¬ s ¼2 s 2! 2.1! 3
=  2 
s3 s s
Solved Example 2 : 2 2 3
= 3
 2 
Find the laplace transform of cos (at) 2 s s s

Solution : Examples on Inverse Laplace Transform

We have cos2 at = (1  cos 2at) / 2 Solved Example 5 :

ª 1º ª cos 2 at º ª 2s  5 º
? L ª¬[cos 2 at º¼ = L « »  L « » Find L1 « 2 »
¬2¼ ¬ 2 ¼ ¬ s  25 ¼
1 1 s Solution :
=  . 2
2s 2 s  4a 2
ª 2s  5 º
L1 « 2 »
¬ s  25 ¼
2 2
s  2a
=
s(s2  4a 2 )
ª 2s º 1 ª 5 º
= L1 « 2 » L « 2 »
¬ s  25 ¼ ¬ s  25 ¼
Solved Example 3 :
= 2 cos 5t + sin 5t
Find the laplace transform of sin3 (2t)

Solution :
ª 3 sin2t  sin6t º
L ª¬sin3 2t º¼ = L « »
¬ 4 ¼

ª 3 3 sin x  sin3x º
« sin x 4 »
¬ ¼
3 1
= L sin2t  L sin6t
4 4

2
 Notes on Laplace Transforms

Solved Example 6 : Letting s = 1, 2, 3 we get

ª 5s2  3s  16 º 8 = 4A or A=2
Find L1 « »
¬ (s  1) (s  2) (s  3) ¼ 10 = 5B or B=2

Solution : 20 = 20C or C=1

By partial fractions ª 5s2  3s  16 º

? L1 « »
5s2  3s  16 A B C ¬ (s  1) (s  2) (s  3) ¼
=  
(s  1) (s  2) (s  3) s 1 s  2 s3 ª 2 º 1 ª 2 º ª 1 º
= L1 « » L « » L
1
« »
Simplifying and equating the numerators ¬ s  1¼ ¬ s  2 ¼ ¬s 3¼
5s2  3s  16 A(s  2)(s  3)  B(s  1) = 2et  2e2t  e3t
(s  3)  c(s  1)(s  2)

1.3 Properties of Laplace Transform

Linearity Property

L[c1 f1(t) + c2 f2(t)] = c1 L[f1(t)] + c2L[f2(t)]

where c1 and c2 are constants.

First Shifting Property

Let L > f(t)@ F(s), s ! Dt 0 and a be a real number. Then

at
L[e f(t)] = F(s  a) s>a+D

Second Shifting Property

If L[f(t)] = F(s) and
­f(t  a) t ! a
g(t) ®
¯ 0 ta

Then

L[g(t)] = e F(s)
as

Change of Scale Property

If L[f(t)] = F(s), then

1 §s·
L[f(at)]  F ¨ ¸
a ©a¹

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Vidyalankar : GATE – Engineering Mathematics

Solved Example 7 : Solved Example 9 :

Using the shifting theorem, find the laplace Find the inverse Laplace transforms of the
transforms of the following functions. following
(a) eat cosbt (b) eDt sinEt 1 4
(a) (b)
s2  4s  8 s2  s  2
Solution :
Solution :
s
(a) L > cosbt @
s 2  b2 1 1
(a) 2
s  4s  8 (s  2)2  22
By shifting theorem,
sa ª 1 º 1 2t
L ª¬eat cosbt º¼ ? L1 « 2 2 »
e sin2t
(s  a)2  b2 ¬ (s  2)  s ¼ 2

E 1 1
(b) L > sin Et @ (b)
s  E2
2
s2  s  2 § 1·
2
2
¨s 2 ¸  7 /2
By shifting theorem © ¹

E 2 § 7 ·
L ª¬eDt sin Et º¼ et / 2 sin ¨ t
¨ 2 ¸¸
(s  D)2  E2 7 © ¹

Solved Example 8 : Solved Example 10 :

Find transforms of the following Find the inverse laplace transforms of the

(a) eDt t 3 (b) eZt t 2 following

Solution : 3s  1 6s
(a) (b)
(s  2)2 2
s  6s  13
3!
(a) L ª¬ t 3 º¼ Solution :
s4
By shifting theorem, 3s  1 3(s  2)  5
(a) =
(s  2)2 (s  2)2
3!
L ª¬eDt t 3 º¼
(s  D)4 3 5
= 
s  2 (s  2)2
2
(b) L ª¬ t 2 º¼
s3 1
Since L[t] =
By shifting theorem, s2

2 ª 3 5 º
L ª¬eZt t 2 º¼ ? L1 «  2 »
(s  Z)3 ¬ s  2 (s  2) ¼

ª 3 º ª 1 º
L1 « »  5L1 « 2 »
¬s  2¼ ¬ (s  2) ¼

3e2t  5te2t

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 Notes on Laplace Transforms

6 s Solved Example 11 :
(b) 2
s  6s  13 ª s º
Find L1 « 5 »
6s ¬ (s  3) ¼
=
(s  3)2  4
Solution :
(s  3)  3 ª s º ªs 3  3º
= L1 « = L1 «
(s  3)2  4 5 » 5 »
¬ (s  3) ¼ ¬ (s  3) ¼
s 3 3
=  ª 1 3 º
(s  3)2  22 (s  3)2  22 = L1 « 4
 »
¬ (s  3) (s  3)5 ¼
ª s3 3 º
? L1 «  2 » ª1º ª1º
2
¬ (s  3)  2
2 2
(s  3)  2 ¼ = e3t L1 « 4 »  3e3t L1 « 5 »
¬s ¼ ¬s ¼
3 3t
e3t cos 2t  e sin2t t3 t4
2 = e3t .  3e3t
3! 4!

§1 t·
= e3t . t 3 ¨  ¸
©6 8¹

1.4 Laplace Transform of Derivatives

Let f(t), t t 0 be a continuous function and be of exponential order on >0, f@. Let

f c(t) be also of exponential order and at least piecewise continuous on >0, f@ . Then

L > fc(t)@ sL > f(t)@  f(0)

x Laplace transform of f cc(t) is obtained by multiplying L > f c(t)@ by s

L > f cc(t)@ = s L > f c(t)@  f c(0)

= s >sL f(t)  f(0)@  f c(0)

= s2 L > f(t)@  s f(0)  f c(0)

x Laplace transform of higher order derivatives is obtained as

L ¬ª fn (t) ¼º snL > f(t) @  sn  1f(0)  sn 2 f c(0) .....s 2 f n 3 (0)sf n 2 (0) f n1(0)

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Vidyalankar : GATE – Engineering Mathematics

Solved Example 12 : Solved Example 14 :

Find the Laplace transformation of ª s º
Find L1 « 2 » .
f(t) 2
sin t . ¬s 9¼

Solution : Solution :

f(t) sin2 t and f(0) 0 1

Let f(s) = 2
s 9
Differentiating we get
f c(t) = 2sint cost = sin 2t ª 1 º
Then f(t) = L1 > f(s)@ = L1 « 2 »
¬s 9¼
L > f c(t)@ = L >sin2t @ = s L > f(t)@  f(0)
1
2 = sin3t and f(0) 0
or 2
= sL >f(t)@  0 3
s 4
? L1 > sf(s)  f(0)@ f c(t)
2
or L > f(t)@ = 2
s(s  4) or L1 > s f(s)@ f c(t)

d §1 ·
But f c(t) = ¨ 3 sin3t ¸ = cos 3t
Solved Example 13 : dt © ¹
Find the laplace transform of f(t) t3 . ª s º
? L1 « 2 » = cos 3t
Solution : ¬s 9¼
f(t) = t3 Solved Example 15 :
f c(t) = 3t 2
Find the laplace transform of t sin t.

f cc(t) = 6t Solution :
Let f(t) = t sin t
f ccc(t) = 6
f c(t) = t cos t  sint
and f(0) f c(0) f cc(0) 0
f cc(t) = t sint  cos t  cos t
Hence
= t sint  2cos t
L > f ccc(t)@ L[6]
Now L > f cc(t)@ s2L > f(t)@  sf(0)  f c(0)
s3L > f(t)@  s2 f(0)  sf c(0)  f cc(0)
? L > t sint  2cos t @ s2L(t sint)  s u 0  0
6
? s3 L > f(t)@  0  0  0
s ? L > t sint @  L >2 cos t @ s2 L > t sint @
6
? L > f(t)@ (1 s2 ) L(t sint) = L[2cos t] =
2s
s4
s2  1

2s
? L(t sin t) =
(s 2  1)2

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 Notes on Laplace Transforms

Solved Example 16 : Solved Example 18 :

Find laplace transform of ycc  3yc  5y Solve :

given that d2 y 2dy

2
  3y 3, y(0) 4, y c(0) 7
dx dx
y(0) 2, yc(0) 4
Solution :
Solution :
Taking laplace transformation of the
L > ycc  3yc  5y @
differential equation
= L > ycc@  3L > yc@  5L >y @ ª¬s2 Y(s)  sy(0)  yc(0)º¼
= ª¬ s 2 y(s)  sy(0)  y c(0) º¼
2 >sY(s)  y(0)@  3Y(s) L[3]
3 >sy(s)  y(0)@  5y(s) 3
or (s2  2s  3) Y(s) =  4s  7  8
s
= s2  3s  5 y(s)  2s  4  6
3
=  4s  1
= s2  3s  5 y(s)  2s  10 s

Solved Example 17 : where L > y(t)@ = Y(s)

Solve : ycc  4y 0, y(0) 1, yc(0) 6 3 4s  1

? Y(s) = 
using laplace transformation s(s  1) (s  3) (s  1) (s  3)

Solution : By partial fractions

Taking laplace transform of the given ª 1 3 1 1 1 º
Y(s) = «   .  . »
differential equation ¬ s 4 s 1 4 s  3¼
1ª 5 11 º
¬ªs Y(s)  sy(0)  yc(0)¼º  4Y(s)
2
0  
4 «¬ s  1 s  3 »¼
Here L > y(t)@ Y(s)
1 2 3
=   
? (s  4) Y(s)
2
s6 s s 1 s  3

>substituting y(0) and yc(0)@ Taking inverse laplace transform we get

Y(+) = L1 > Y(s)@

s6 s 6
or y(s) =   2
s 4 s2  4 s 4 ª 1º ª 2 º 1 ª 3 º
L1 «  »  L1 « »  L «s  3»
¬ ¼s ¬ s  1¼ ¬ ¼
? y(t) = L1 > Y(s)@
= 1  2et  3e3t
ª s º 1 ª 6 º
= L1 « 2 »  L « 2 »
¬s 4¼ ¬s  4¼
= cos 2t  3sin2t

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 Assignment on Laplace Transforms

Assignment  1
Duration : 45 Min. Max. Marks : 30

Q1 to Q6 carry one mark each 5. The inverse laplace transform of

1. If f(t) is a function defined for all t t 0, 4 3 4
function f(t) is 3
 2  then f(t) is
its Laplace transform F(s) is defined as s s s

[ME  2016] ________

f f (A) 3t 2  2t  4 (B) t 2  2t  4
 st
³e ³e
st
(A) f(t)dt (B) f(t)dt
0 0 (C) 2t 2  3t  4 (D) 3t 2  2t  8
f f
ist
³ e f(t)dt ³e
ist
(C) (D) f(t)dt t
0 0 6. The Laplace transform of te is
[ME  2017]
2. Laplace transform of cos(Zt) is
s 1
(A) (B)
[ME  2016] (s  1)2 (s  1)2
s Z
(A) (B) 1 s
s Z2 2
s  Z2
2 (C) (D)
(s  1)2 s 1
s Z
(C) 2 2
(D)
s Z s  Z2
2
Q7 to Q18 carry two marks each
1 7. Laplace transform of the function f(t) is
3. f(s) = find the inverse laplace of
s3 / 2
given by
the given transform. f
³0 f(t)e
 st
F(s) = L{f(t)} = dt.
S 2 S
(A) 4 (B)
t 3 t Laplace transform of the function
shown below is given by
3 S t
(C) (D) 2
2 2 S [ME  2015]

4. If f(t) = 5 sin3t  17e2t then its laplace

transform is ____________.
1 2 15 17 1e 2s 1e  s
(A)  (B)  (A) (B)
s 9 s2
2
s 9 s2
2
s 2s
11 12 13 21 22e  s 12e  s
(C)  (D)  (C) (D)
s 9 s2
2
s 9 s2
2
s s

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Vidyalankar : GATE – Engineering Mathematics

8. F(s) is the Laplace transform of the f 1 f sinx

function f(t) = 2t e
2 t
13. The value of ³0 1 x 2
dx  ³
0 x
dx

F(1) is __________ (correct to two is [CE  2016]

decimal places). [ME  2018] S
(A) (B) S
2

9. Laplace transform of t cost is 3S

(C) (D) 1
2 2
2
s 1 s 1
(A) (B)
(s 2  1)2 (s 2  1)2
14. The correct function of given laplace
s 1 s2  1
(C) (D) 2 2s  5
(s2  1)2 s 1 transform f(s) 2
is
s  4s  13

10. Laplace transform of t sin2 t is (A) e2t (6cos2t  sin3t)

2(3s2  4) 2(3s2  4) e 2t

(A) 2 2 (B) 2 2 (B) (6 cos 2t  sin3t)
s (s  4)2 s (s  4) 3

(C) e2t 3 cos 3t  3 sin2t

2(3s2  4) 2(3s2  4)
(C) (D) 2 2
s(s2  4)2 s (s  4) (D) e2t (6cos2t  sin3t)

(1 et ) 15. Inverse laplace of

11. Laplace transform of f(t) is
t
1 § s3 ·
f(s) log ¨ ¸ is
§ 1 s · (s  1) s © s2 ¹
(A) n¨ ¸ (B) n
© s ¹ s2
t
§ e2t  e3t · t
§ e2t  e3t ·
(C) n
(s  1)
(D)
(1 s)
n 2
(A) ³ ¨
0©
t
¸ dt (B)
¹
³0 ¨© 2t
¸ dt
¹
s s
t t
e2t  e3t e2t  eet
(C) ³ dt (D) ³ dt
eat  ebt t 2t
12. Laplace transform of f(t)  0 0
t

§ s2  b · § 1  bs ·
(A) n¨ 2 ¸ (B) n¨ ¸ 16. Correct function of the given laplace
© s a ¹ © 1  as ¹
3s  7
transform f(s)
§ sb · 2
s  2s  3
(C) n¨ ¸ (D) none of these
© sa ¹
(A) 4e3t  e t (B) 2e3t  e2t

(C) e3t  4e t (D) 4e3t  e t

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 Assignment on Laplace Transform

1 18. If f(t) t 2 e3t then f(s) is _________.

17. Inverse laplace of f(s)
(s  1) (s2  1)
2 1
(A) (B)
is (s  3)3 (s  3)2
(A) 2(sint  cos t  e t ) (s 4  4s 2  24)
4 3 4
(C)  (D)
1 s3 s 2
s s5
(B) (sint  cos t  e t )
2
(C) 2(sint  cos t  e t )

(D) 3(2sint  cos t  e t )

‰‰‰‰‰‰

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Vidyalankar : GATE – Engineering Mathematics

Test Paper  1
Duration : 30 Min. Max. Marks : 25

Q1 to Q5 carry one mark each Q6 to Q15 carry two marks each

1. If f(t) 3  2t 2 then f(s) = _______ 6. The correct Laplace transform of the

3 4 1 4 function f(t) e3t sin2t is

(A)  3 (B) 
s s s s3 3 2
(A) 2
(B) 2
2 3 s  4s  9 s  6s  9
(C)  3 (D) None of these
s s
2 3
(C) 2
(D) 2
s  6s  13 s  6s  13
2. If f(t) 2t 2  3t  4 then f(s) = _____

1 7. The correct Laplace transform of the

(A) 15 / 8 S / s7 (B)
(s  3)2 function f(t) t sin3t is
4 3 4 2
(C)   (D) 6s 3s
s3 s2 s (s  3)3 (A) (B)
(s  9)3
2
(s  9)2
2

3. If f(t) t 5/2 then f(s) = _________ 12s 6s

(C) (D)
(s  9)2 (s  9)2
2

15 S 15 3S
(A) (B)
8 s7 9 27 8. Laplace transform of the function

13 S 13 S f(t) t cos 7 t is
(C) (D)
11 56 12 s8
s2  7 s2  7
(A) (B)
4. If f(t) = 1  cos at, then the Laplace (s 2  7)2 (s 2  7)2
transformation of the function is
s2  7 s2  7
(C) 2
(D) 2
a a2 s2  7 s2  7
(A) (B)
s(s  a2 )
2
s (s2  a 2 )
2

a2 2a 2 9. Correct Laplace transform of the

(C) (D)
s(s  a 2 )
2
s (s2  a 2 )
2
sin3t
function f(t)
t
5. Laplace transform of f(x) 3  4x2 is
S S s
(A) (B)  tan1
8 3 4 2 2 6
(A) 3s  2 (B)  3
s s s
S s S s
(C)  tan1 (D)  tan1
3 16 3 8 2 3 2 6
(C)  (D) 
s s3 s s3

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 Test Paper on Laplace Transform

10. Laplace transform of the function In questions 13 15

t sint 1 Choose the correct function f(t) of given
f(t)   sin3t is
9 8 216 following Laplace transform.
4 s2  a2
(A) 13. f(s)
s(s  1) (s2  9)
2
(s 2  a 2 )2
1 (A) t 2 cos at (B) t sin at
(B)
s2 (s2  1) (s2  9)
(C) (t 2  t)sinat (D) t cos at
1
(C) 2 2
s (s  1) (s2  9)

9 6s
(D) 14. f(s)
s (s  1) (s2  9)
2 2 (s2  9)2
(A) t sin 3t
t
11. If f(t) e (cost  3 sin t) then the (B) t 2 cos 3t
Lapalce transformation of the function (C) t(sin3t  cos 3t)
is
(D) 3t sin3t
s2 s2
(A) 2 (B) 2
s  2s  2 s  2s  2
§ s  1·
s 2s  4 15. f(s) n¨ ¸
(C) 2 (D) 2 © s  1¹
s  4s  4 s  2s  2
2 sin t 2 sinht
(A) (B)
12. Inverse Laplace transform of t t
2 sin t
s2 (C) 2t cost (D)
f(s) is t2
(s  2)3

(A) t cos2t (B) e2t cos 2t

(C) e2t (2t 2  4t  1) (D) e2t (2t 2  4t  1)

‰‰‰‰‰‰

31