Chapter 3

The Laplace Transform Tutorial Problems

12s
1. Laplace Transform (i) (s2 +1)(s2 +25)

The Laplace transform of f (t) for t ≥ 0, id defined by (j) 2

s2 +16
ˆ ∞  
L f (t) = e−st f (t) dt = F (s).

1 s s
(k) 2 s2 +1 + s2 +25
0
s
The function f (t) is called the inverse Laplace (l) (s2 +16)(s2 +25)
transform of F (s). s3 −s2 +s−1
(m) s4
Tutorial Problem 1.1. Using the linearity property, find
the Laplace transform of the following: (n) 4(s+1)
s2 (s−2)2

e−3t −e−5t 8−12s+9s2

(a) 2
(0) s3

(b) 2e−2t + 3e−3t

2. Multiplication by t
2
(c) 1 − cos 4t = 2 sin 2t
Tutorial Problem 2.1. Find the Laplace transform of the
(d) 3t − sin 3t following:

(e) sin3 t = 14 (3 sin t − sin 3t) (a) t − 12 t2 e−3t

(f) cos3 t = 41 (cos 3t + 3 cos t) (b) t(cos 2t + sin 2t)

2
(g) (sin 2t + cos 2t) (c) sin 7t − 7t cos 7t
(h) cosh 2t − cos 2t + sinh 2t − sin 2t (d) sin 3t + 3t cos 3t
(i) sin 2t sin 3t (e) t2 sin t + t cos t
(j) sin 2t cos 3t Answers.
(k) cos 2t cos 3t
s+2
(a) (s+3)2
1
(l) 9 cos 5t − cos 4t
s2 +4s−4
1 2 1 3 (b) (s+ 4)2
(m) 1 − t + 2t − 6t
686
(n) t − e−2t (c) (s2 +49)2

6s2
(0) (2t − 3)2 (d) (s2 +9)2

Answers. s4 +6s2 −3
(e) (s2 +1)3

(a) 1 Tutorial Problem 2.2. Employ the Laplace transform to

(s+3)(s+5)
compute the following integrals:
s
(b) (s+2)(s+3)
ˆ ∞
16 (a) (3 cos 2t − 2 sin 2t) e−3t dt
(c) s(s2 +16) 0

27
ˆ ∞
(d) s2 (s2 +9) (b) t cos 2te−t dt
0
6 ˆ ∞
(e) (s2 +1)(s2 +9)
(c) (t2 − t + 1)e−2t dt
7s+s 3 0
(f) (s2 +1)(s2 +9) ˆ ∞
2 (d) (2t − 3 sin t)e−t/2 dt
16+4s+s
(g) s(s2 +16)
0
ˆ ∞
(h) 8(s+2) (e) (2 cos t − cos 2t)e−t dt
s4 −16 0

6
Chapter 3. The Laplace Transform Tutorial Problems 7

Answers. 5. Shifted and Truncated Signals and Time

Shifting
(a) 5/13
Tutorial Problem 5.1. Find the Laplace transform of the
(b) −3/25 following piecewise functions:
(c) 1/2 (
2, α ≤ t < β
(d) 52/5 (a) f (t) =
0, elsewhere
(e) 4/5 
2/3, 0 ≤ t < 1

3. Division by t (b) f (t) = 1/2, 1 ≤ t < 2

1/4, t ≥ 2

Tutorial Problem 3.1. Employing the Laplace transform,
compute the following integrals:

2,
 0≤t<3
ˆ ∞ (c) f (t) = 0, 3≤t<4
1−e−2t + sin t
(a) t dt 

−3, t ≥ 4
0
ˆ ∞
(b) e−2t −e−3t
dt (d) f (t) = 3(1 − H (t − 1)) + 51 (H (t − 1) − H (t − 2))
t
0
(e) f (t) = 12 (H (t − 1) − H (t − 2)) − 32 (H (t − 3) −
ˆ ∞
(c) cos 3t−cos 4t
dt H (t − 4))
t
0
Answers.
ˆ ∞
sin2 3t −t
(d) t e dt 2
e−αs − e−βs


0 (a) s
ˆ ∞ n o
1−cosh 2t −3t 1 −s
(e) t e dt (b) 1 2
s 3 − 6e − 41 e−2s
0
Answers.
n o
1 −3s −4s
(c) s 2 − 2e − 3e
(a) log 2 + π/2 1
n
14 −s 1 −2s
o
(d) s 3 − 5 e − 5 e )
(b) log(3/2) n o
1 1 −s
(c) log(4/3) (e) s 2 (e − e−2s ) − 23 (e−3s − e−4s )

(d) 1
log 37 Tutorial Problem 5.2. Find the Laplace transform of the
4
√  following piecewise functions:
(e) log 5/3 (
t, 1 ≤ t < 2
(a) f (t) =
4. Frequency Shifting and Time Shifting 0, elsewhere
(
Tutorial Problem 4.1. Use the s-shifting property, find 0, 0 ≤ t < 1
the Laplace transform of the following signals: (b) f (t) = 2
t , t≥1

(a) t3 e−4t
(
sin t, 0 ≤ t < 3π/2
(c) f (t) =
(b) e2t (sin 3t + cos 3t) 0, t ≥ 3π/2
(c) e3t (cosh 2t − sinh 2t) (d) f (t) = (t2 − 3t)H (t − 3)
(d) e−5t 13 sinh 3t − t

(
t, 0≤t<π
(e) f (t) =
(e) et (3 cosh 2t − 2t) cos t, t ≥ π
Answers. Answers.

1
e−s − 2e−2s + 1
e−s − e−2s



(a) 6/(s + 4)4 (a) s s2
s+1 2 2 1

−s
(b) s2 −4s+13
(b) s3 + s2 + s e

(c) s−5 (c) 1

− se−3πs/2 )
s2 +1 (1
s2 −6s+13

(d) s23 + s32 e−3s

9
(d) s2 +10s+16
 
s2 −2s+9 (e) 1s − s12 + s2s+1 e−πs
(e) (s−1)(s2 −2s−3

Vellore Institute of Technology Dr. T. Phaneendra

8 Chapter 3. The Laplace Transform Tutorial Problems

s2 −3s+4 s
6. Laplace Transform of Periodic Functions (c) s3 + s2 +16

Tutorial Problem 6.1. Find the Laplace transform of the 2 s+1 3(s2 −2)2
(d) s−3 + s3 + 2s5
following periodic functions:
3s−1 6
(e) (s+1)4 − (s−4)2
(
a, 0≤t<a Answers.
(a) f (t) =
−a, a ≤ t < 2a
( (a) 1 + cos 2t
0, 0 ≤ t < π 1 4
(b) f (t) = (b) 6t + 23 t3 + 1
π, π ≤ t ≤ 2π
 (c) cos 2t − 3t + 2t2 + 1
0, 0 ≤ t < 1

(d) 2e3t + − 16 t4 + t2 + t
1 6
180 t
(c) f (t) = 1, 1 ≤ 2
3 2 2 3


(e) e3t 2t − 3t + 3t2 e4t

2, 2 ≤ 3

 Tutorial Problem 7.2 (By Elementary Functions). Find the
2,
 0≤t<1 inverse of each of the following Laplace transforms:
(d) f (t) = −1, 1 ≤ 2
 2s−5 4s−18 s
0, 2≤3 (a) + +

4s2 +25 9−s2 s2 +6s+13
3 s
(e) f (t) = t with period τ = 2 (b) s2 +6s+18 + 2s2 +2s+1
( 3s+7 2s−3
0, 0 ≤ t < 1 (c) s2 −2s−3 + s2 +4s+13
(f) f (t) =
t, 1 ≤ t ≤ 2 (d) s+1
+ 3s−1
s2 +4s+16 s2 −6s+2
(
0, 0≤t<2 s−4 1
(e) s2 −8s+10 + s+4
(g) f (t) =
4 − t, 2 ≤ t ≤ 4 Answers.
(
t, 0≤t<1 (a) F (s) = 4s22s 5 1 5
+25 − 4s2 +25 + s−3 + s+3 ;
(h) f (t) = −3t
f (t) = 12 cos 5t 5t
 3t
2 − t, 1 ≤ t ≤ 2 2 − sin 2 + e − 5e
3 2s+1 1
(b) F (s) = (s+3) 2 +9 + (2s+1)2 +1 − (2s+1)2 +1 ;
Answers.
f (t) = e−3t sin 3t + 21 e−t cos 2t − sin 2t

a 1−e−as 4 1 2(s+2) 7
(a) s · 1+e−as (c) F (s) = s−3 − s+1 + (s+2) 2 +9 − (s+2)2 +9 ;

f (t) = 4e3t − e−t + 2e−2t (cos 3t − 76 sin 3t)

e−πs
(b) π
s · 1+e−πs
 
s+2
(d) F (s) = 12 (s+2) 1
2 +4 − (s+2)2 +4 + 11 1
2 s−4 −
5 1
2 s−2 ;
1 e−s +2e−2s
(c) s · 1+e−s +e−2s f (t) = e−2t (cos 2t − 1
sin 2t) + 12 (11e4t − 5e )
2t
2
s−4 1 3(s−1) 2
1 2−3e−s +e−2s (e) F (s) = (s−4) 2 +9 + (s−4)2 +9 + (s−1)2 +1 + (s−1)2 +1 ;
(d) s · 1−e−3s
f (t) = e4t cos 3t + 31 sin 3t + et (3 cos t + 2 sin t)


1 1−e−2s (1+2s)
(e) s2 · 1−e−2s Tutorial Problem 7.3 (Rational Fractions with Linear
e−s (1+s)−e−2s (1+2s)
Factors in the Denominator). Find the inverse of each
1
(f) s2 · 1−e−2s of the following Laplace transforms:
1 (2s−1)e−2s +e−4s
(g) s · 1−e−4s (a) 3s
(s−1)(s2 −4)
1 (1−e−s )2 s−1
(h) s2 · 1−e−2s (b) (s+1)(s−3)

s−8
(c) s2 −3s−4
7. Inverse Laplace Transform
s2 −7s+5
Tutorial Problem 7.1 (By Elementary Functions). Find the (d) (s−1)(s−2)(s−3)
inverse of each of the following Laplace transforms: s2 +s−2
(e) s(s−2)(s+3)
1 s
(a) s + s2 +4 (f) 1−7s
(s−3)(s−1)(s+2)

s2 −1 (2+s)2 6
(b) s3 + s5
(g) (s+2)(s−4)

Dr. T. Phaneendra Vellore Institute of Technology

Chapter 3. The Laplace Transform Tutorial Problems 9

s2 +9s−9 1 1 1 1 17 1
(h) s3 −9s
(e) F (s) = 16 s+1 − 16 s−3 + 4 (s−3)2 ;
1 −t 1 3t
f (t) = 16 e − 16 e + 174 te
3t
s2 −6s+4
(i) s3 −3s2 +2s
Tutorial Problem 7.5 (Rational Fractions with Simple
(j) 2s2 −6s+5 Quadratic Factors in the Denominator). Find the inverse
s3 −6s2 +11s−6
of each of the following Laplace transforms:
Answers.
s2 −8
(a) F (s) = 32 s−2
1 1
− s−1 − 12 s+2
1
; (a) (s2 +5)(s2 −7)
3 2t t 1 −2t
f (t) = 2 e − e − 2 e s3
(b) s4 −a4
(b) F (s) = 21 s+1
1
+ 12 s−3
1
; s
1 −t 1 3t (c) s4 +s2 +1
f (t) = 2 e + 2 e
1
(c) F (s) = 59 s+1
1
− 45 s−4
1
; (d) (s2 −a2 )2
9 −t 4 4t
f (t) = 5 e − 5 e s
(e) s4 +1
5
(d) F (s) = s−2 − 12 s−1
1
− 72 s−3
1
;
2t 1 t
f (t) = 5e − 2 e − 2 e 7 3t Answers.
7 7 7 7 33 s
F (s) = 25 s−2 s+1 − 52 s−1 + 26 s2 +25 ;
1
(e) + 13 s−1
1
+ 154 2
s+3 ;
(a) F (s) = 52
7 −t 7 t 33
2 2t 1
f (t) = 5 e + 3 + 15 e 4 −3t f (t) = 52 e − 52 e + 130 sin 5t
s
(f) F (s) = s−11 1
+ s+2 − s−32
; (b) F (s) = 41 s−5
1
+ 14 s+5
1
+ 12 s2 +25 ;
1 5t 1 −5t 1
t
f (t) = e + e −2t
− 2e 3t f (t) = 4 e + 4 e + 2 cos 5t
2 2
F (s) = 91 s−4 (c) F (s) = (2s−1)2 +3 − (2s+1)2 +3 ;
1
(g) − 13 s+2
1
+ 29 s+5
1
;
1 4t 1 −2t 2 −5t
√ √
f (t) = 33 et/2 − et/2 sin 3t


f (t) = 9 e − 3 e + 9e
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
(h) F (s) = 23 s−31
− 32 s+3
1
+ 1s ; (d) F (s) = 32 s+2 − 32 s−2 + 16 (s−2)2 + 16 (s+2)2 ;
f (t) = 23 e3t − 32 e−3t + 1 1
f (t) = − 16 sinh 2t + 81 t cosh 2t
1 2 √ √
(i) F (s) = s−1 − s−2 + 2s ; (e) F (s) = 4(s−√2/2) 2
− 4(s+√2/2)2
;
2 +2 2 +2
t 2t √ √
f (t) = e − 2e + 2 2t 2∗t
f (t) = sin 2 sinh 2
(j) F (s) = 32 s+1
1 1
− s−1 + 43 s−2
1
;
2 −t t
f (t) = 3 e − e + 3 e4 2t Tutorial Problem 7.6 (Linear and Quadratic Factors in the
Denominator). Find the inverse of each of the following
Tutorial Problem 7.4 (Rational Fractions with Quadratic Laplace transforms:
Factors in the Denominator). Find the inverse of each
of the following Laplace transforms: s2 +2s+3
(a) (s2 +2s+2)(s2 +2s+5)

s2 +1 5s2 −7s+17
(a) (b) (s−1)(s2 +4)
s(s−1)(s+2)2
s
s+1 (c) (s2 +2s+5)(s−7)
(b) s2 (s+1)
5s−7
1 (d) (s+3)(s2 +2)
(c) s3 (s+1)
s+1
s (e) (s2 +1)(s2 +4)
(d) (s−1)2 (s+2)2
Answers.
4s+5
(e) (s−1)2 (s+2)
(a) F (s) = 13 (s+1)
1 2 1
2 +1 + 3 (s+1)2 +4 ;

Answers. 1 −t
f (t) = 3 e (sin t + sin 2t)
(a) F (s) = 29 s−1
1 1 1
+ 36 5 1
s+2 + 6 (s+2)2 −
11
4 s;
3
(b) F (s) = s−1 + 2s−5
s2 +4 ;
2
t


2 t 1 −2t
f (t) = 9 e + 36 e 5 −2t
+ 6 te − 14 f (t) = 3e + 2 cos 2t + 2 sin 2t
2
(b) F (s) = s−1 − 2s − 1 (c) F (s) = 81 s−11
− 18 (s+1)
1 3 1
2 +4 + 4 (s+1)2 +4 ;
s2 ;
f (t) = 18 et − e−t + 38 sin 2t − cos 2t


t
f (t) = 2e − 2 − t
2s−1
(c) F (s) = 1s − s12 + s13 − s+1
1
; (d) F (s) = − 2 ;
s2 +2
√ s+3 √2 √
f (t) = 1 − t + 2 + e−t
1
f (t) = 2 cos 2t − 2 sin 2t − 2e−3t
1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1
(d) F (s) = 27 s−1 + 9 (s−1)2 − 27 s−2 − 9 (s+2)2 ; (e) F (s) = 31 ss+1 1 s+1
2 +1 − 3 s2 +4 ;
1 t 1 t 1 −2t 2 −2t
f (t) = 27 e + 9 te − 2 − 27 e − 9 te 1
f (t) = 3 (cos t + sin t) − 61 (2 cos 2t + sin 2t)

Vellore Institute of Technology Dr. T. Phaneendra

10 Chapter 3. The Laplace Transform Tutorial Problems
ˆ t
8. Inverse of the Laplace Transform by (a) sin t ∗ cos 2t = cos(2ν − 2t) sin ν dν = 31 (cos t −
Convolution Theorem 0
cos 2t)
Tutorial Problem 8.1 (Linear and Quadratic Factors in the ˆ t
Denominator). Find the inverse of each of the following (b) t ∗ e3t = νe3t−3ν dν = 19 (e3t − 1) − 31 t
Laplace transforms: 0
ˆ t
1 1
2 (c) 1 ∗ 2 sin 2t = 2 sin(2t − 2ν) dν = sin2 t/2
s +2s+3
(a) (s2 +2s+2)(s2 +2s+5)
0
ˆ t
1 1
(b) 5s2 −7s+17 (d) sin t ∗ 7 sin 7t = 7 sin 2ν sin(7t − 7ν) dν =
(s−1)(s2 +4) 0
1 1
s 48 sin t − 336 − sin 7t
(c) (s2 +2s+5)(s−7) ˆ t
5s−7 (e) sin t ∗ sinh t = sin(ν − t) ∗ (e−ν − eν ) dν =
(d) (s+3)(s2 +2) 0
sinh t − sin t. ˆ
s+1
(e) (s2 +1)(s2 +4) Use the formula: eAν sin Bν dν =
1 Aν
Answers. A2 +B 2 e (A sin Bν − B cos Bν)

Dr. T. Phaneendra Vellore Institute of Technology