[Math] Find Laplace Transform using unit step function given graph of a periodic impulse function. (5.3-33)

laplace transform

Please correct my work. The textbook answer which is expressed exactly like this $1/s(1+e^{-s})$ does not match my own.

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Find the Laplace Transform for one period of the perpetual periodic function shown in graph.

First express function using the unit step:

$$f(t)= u(t)-u(t-1)$$

The Laplace Transform is easily found:

$$f(t)= \frac{1}{s}-\frac{e^{-s}}{s}= \frac{1-e^{-s}}{s}$$

Where did I go wrong?

Best Answer

Here is a very simple method to solve this problem. Note that $f(t)-f(t-2)$ is just a single period of $f(t)$ in the range $[0,2]$, i.e.

$$f(t)-f(t-2)=u(t)-u(t-1)\tag{1}$$

the Laplace transform of which you've already found:

$$\mathcal{L}\{u(t)-u(t-1)\}=\frac{1-e^{-s}}{s}\tag{2}$$

But you also have

$$\mathcal{L}\{f(t)-f(t-2)\}=F(s)-e^{-2s}F(s)=F(s)(1-e^{-2s})\tag{3}$$

where $F(s)$ is the desired Laplace transform of the periodic function $f(t)$. Equating (2) and (3) gives

$$F(s)=\frac{1-e^{-s}}{s(1-e^{-2s})}=\frac{1}{s(1+e^{-s})}$$

because

$$\frac{a-b}{a^2-b^2}=\frac{a-b}{(a+b)(a-b)}=\frac{1}{a+b}$$

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