Using definition of Laplace transform in determining Laplace of a step function

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the Laplace transform of a step function using its definition rather than relying on tables. Participants emphasize breaking the integral into two parts due to the piecewise nature of the function. The integral is simplified to \(\int_2^{\infty} te^{-st}\,dt\), which can be solved using integration by parts. The correct application of integration by parts is crucial for progressing beyond the initial separation of the integral.

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shorty1
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I have a question that has stumped me a bit, i am not sure how to use the definition to calculate it, i can use the tables, but i don't think that's what is needed.

Using the definition of the Laplace transform, View attachment 153 determine the Laplace transform of

View attachment 154

I can do it with the table but i am not sure how to to this using the definition.

Help please?

:confused:
 

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shorty said:
I have a question that has stumped me a bit, i am not sure how to use the definition to calculate it, i can use the tables, but i don't think that's what is needed.

Using the definition of the Laplace transform, https://www.physicsforums.com/attachments/153 determine the Laplace transform of

https://www.physicsforums.com/attachments/154

I can do it with the table but i am not sure how to to this using the definition.

Help please?

:confused:

We can break up the integral into two parts since $f(t)$ is a piecewise function:

\[\mathcal{L}[f(t)] = \int_0^{\infty}e^{-st}f(t)\,dt=\int_0^2 e^{-st}0\,dt + \int_2^{\infty}e^{-st}t\,dt = \int_2^{\infty}te^{-st}\,dt.\]

This should now be a relatively simple improper integral to compute.

Can you take it from here?
 
Thank you, but I got that far into the separation, but I wasn't sure how to proceed from there, my integrals kept repeating when I tried it by parts, and I wasn't getting anything to substitute to use that wasn't still leaving me with multiple variables to integrate. ...
 
shorty said:
Thank you, but I got that far into the separation, but I wasn't sure how to proceed from there, my integrals kept repeating when I tried it by parts, and I wasn't getting anything to substitute to use that wasn't still leaving me with multiple variables to integrate. ...

In this case, you only need to apply integration by parts once. Let $u=t$, $dv=e^{-st}dt$; thus $du=dt$ and $v=-\dfrac{e^{-st}}{s}$. Plugging this into the integration by parts formula, we have

\[\int_2^{\infty}te^{-st}\,dt = \lim\limits_{b\to\infty}\left.\left[-\frac{te^{-st}}{s}\right]\right|_2^b + \frac{1}{s}\int_2^{\infty}e^{-st}\,dt=\ldots\]

Can you take it from here?
 

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