EE220: Signals and Systems - Tutorial 06

Laplace transform

September 8, 2025

Tutorial question:

1. Find the solution to the following dierential equations using Unilateral Laplace transform.
d2 y(t)
(a) dy(t) + y(t) = x(t) with x(t) = et u(t), y(0− ) = −1 and y ′ (0− ) = dy(t)
dt = 1.
t=0
Solution:

d2 y(t)
+ y(t) = x(t)
dy(t)
 2 
d y(t)
⇒L + y(t) = L(x(t))
dy(t)
 2 
d y(t)
⇒⇒ L + L(y(t)) = L(x(t))
dy(t)
⇒ s2 Y (s) − sy(0− ) − y ′ (0− ) + Y (s) = X(s)
1
⇒ (s2 + 1)Y (s) − s + 1 =
s−1
1 s−1
⇒ Y (s) = 2
+ 2
(s − 1)(s + 1) s + 1
As + B C s−1
= + +
s2 + 1 s − 1 s2 + 1
⇒ (As + B)(s − 1) + C(s2 + 1) = 1
s=1⇒C = 0.5
s = 0 ⇒ −B + C =1
⇒B = −0.5
s = −1 ⇒ 2A − 2B + 2C = 1
⇒A = −0.5
−0.5s − 0.5 0.5 s−1
⇒ Y (s) = + +
s2 + 1 s − 1 s2 + 1
1 s 1
= 0.5 + 0.5 2 − 1.5 2
s−1 s +1 s +1
⇒ y(t) = 0.5et u(t) + 0.5cos(t)u(t) − 1.5sin(t)u(t)

d3 y(t) 2d2 y(t)

(b) dt3 − dt2 + dy(t)
dt = x(t) with all initial conditions zero and x(t) = δ(t).
 Solution:

d3 y(t) 2d2 y(t) dy(t)

3
− + = x(t)
 3 dt dt2 dt 
d y(t) 2d2 y(t) dy(t)
⇒L − + = L(δ(t))
dt3 dt2 dt
 3   2   
d y(t) d y(t) d(t)
⇒L + 2L +L = 1
dt3 dt2 dt
⇒ s3 Y (s) + 2s2 Y (s) + sY (s) = 1
3 2
⇒ (s + 2s + s)Y (s) = 1
1 1
⇒ Y (s) = =
s3 + 2s2 + s s(s + 1)2
As + B C
= +
(s + 1)2 s
⇒ (As + B)s + C(s + 1)2 = 1
s=0⇒C =1
s = 1 ⇒ A + B + 4C = 1
A+B = −3
s = −1 ⇒ A − B = 1
⇒A = −1
B = −2
−s − 2 1
⇒ Y (s) = 2
+
(s + 1) s
−1 1 1
= − +
(s + 1)2 s+1 s
⇒ y(t) = −te−t u(t) − e−t u(t) + u(t)
 
2. Using L−1 s−a 1
= e−at u(t) and the convolution property of Laplace transform, nd the inverse Laplace transform
of the following:
(a) 1
s2 +3s+2
Solution:

1 1
X(s) = =
s2 + 3s + 2 (s + 1)(s + 2)
 
1
L−1 = e−t u(t)
s+1
 
1
L−1 = e−2t u(t)
s+2
     
1 1 1 1
L−1 = L−1 ∗ L−1
s+1s+2 s+1 s+2
= e−t u(t) ∗ e−2t u(t)
Z∞
= e−τ u(τ )e−2(t−τ ) u(t − τ )dτ
τ =−∞
Zt
= e−τ e−2(t−τ ) dτ
τ =0
−2t t
= e [eτ ]0 u(t)
= e−2t et u(t) − e−2t u(t)
= e−t u(t) − e−2t u(t)

(b) 1
s2 +2s+1
 Solution:

1 1
X(s) = =
s2 + 2s + 1 (s + 1)(s + 1)
 
−1 1
L = e−t u(t)
s+1
     
−1 1 1 −1 1 −1 1
L = L ∗L
s+1s+1 s+1 s+1
= e−t u(t) ∗ e−t u(t)
Z∞
= e−τ u(τ )e−(t−τ ) u(t − τ )dτ
τ =−∞
Zt
= e−t dτ
τ =0
t
= e−t [t]0 u(t)
= te−t u(t)

(c) 1
s2 +1
Solution:

1 1
X(s) = =
s2 +1 (s + j)(s − j)
 
−1 1
L = e−jt u(t)
s+j
 
−1 1
L = ejt u(t)
s−j
     
−1 1 1 −1 1 −1 1
L = L ∗L
s+j s−j s+j s−j
= e−jt u(t) ∗ ejt u(t)
Z∞
= e−jτ u(τ )ej(t−τ ) u(t − τ )dτ
τ =−∞
Zt
= e jt
e−2jτ dτ
τ =0
t
e−2jτ

= ejt u(t)
−2j 0
1 − e−2jt
 
= ejt u(t)
2j
ejt − e−jt
= u(t) = sin(t)u(t)
2j

3. Find the inverse Laplace transform of X(s) = 4s2 +6

s3 −s2 −2 .
 Solution:

4s2 + 6
X(s) =
s3 + s2 − 2
4s2 + 6
=
(s − 1)(s2 + 2s + 2)
4s2 + 6
=
(s − 1)((s + 1)2 + 1
A B(s + 1) + C
= +
s−1 (s + 1)2 + 1
2
A B(s + 1) + C 4s + 6
⇒ + =
s−1 (s + 1)2 + 1 (s − 1)((s + 1)2 + 1
⇒ A((s + 1)2 + 1) + (s − 1)(B(s + 1) + C) = 4s2 + 6
s = 1 ⇒ 5A = 10
⇒A = 2
s = −1 ⇒ A − 2C = 10
⇒C = −4
s = 0 ⇒ 2A − B − C = 6
⇒4−B+4 = 6
⇒B = 2
2 2(s + 1) + −4
⇒ X(s) = +
s−1 (s + 1)2 + 1
2 s+1 −4
= +2 −4
s−1 (s + 1)2 + 1 (s + 1)2 + 1
⇒ h(t) = 2et u(t) + 2e−t cos(t)u(t) − 4e−t sin(t)u(t) ( causal system)
Another Soln: h(t) = −2et u(−t) − 2e−t cos(t)u(−t) + 4e−t sin(t)u(−t)
Another Soln: h(t) = −2et u(−t) + 2e−t cos(t)u(t) − 4e−t sin(t)u(t) ( stable system)

4. Consider an LTI system whose output is y(t) = e−t sin(t)u(t) for a sinusoidal input of x(t) = cos(t)u(t). Find the
impulse response of the system h(t) (assuming causal system).
 Solution:

L(y(t)) = L(x(t) ∗ h(t))

= L(x(t)).L(h(t))
⇒ Y (s) = X(s)H(s)
Y (s)
⇒ H(s) =
X(s)
1
L(sin(t)) =
s2 + 1
Y (s) = L(e−t sin(t))
1
=
(s + 1)2 + 1
X(s) = L(cos(t)u(t))
s
= 2
s +1
Y (s)
⇒ H(s) =
X(s)
s2 + 1
=
s((s + 1)2 + 1)
A B(s + 1) + C
= +
s (s + 1)2 + 1
s2 + 1 A((s + 1)2 + 1) + (B(s + 1) + C)s
⇒ =
s((s + 1)2 + 1) s((s + 1)2 + 1)
A((s + 1)2 + 1) + (B(s + 1) + C)s = ⇒ s2 + 1
s = 0 ⇒ 2A = 1
⇒A = 0.5
s = −1 ⇒ A − C = 2
⇒C = 1.5
s = 1 ⇒ 5A + 2B + C = 2
⇒ 2.5 + 2B + 1.5 = 2
⇒B = −1
0.5 −1(s + 1) + 1.5
⇒ H(s) = +
s (s + 1)2 + 1
0.5 s+1 1.5
= − +
s (s + 1)2 + 1 (s + 1)2 + 1
⇒ h(t) = 0.5u(t) − e−t cos(t)u(t) + 1.5e−t sin(t)u(t).

5. Given the transfer function of a system as H(s) = 1

s2 −2as+a2 +b2 for a, b ∈ R+ , a ̸= 0.
(a) Identify the poles and zeros of the system in terms of a, b
Solution:
Since the numerator is constant and denominator is a polynomial in s, for all nite values of s, the system
does not attain a zero.
To nd poles:
s2 − 2as + a2 + b2 0 =
p
2as ± (−2a)2 − 4(1)(a2 + b2 )
⇒s =
2
= a ± jb

(b) What values of a, b, if the system is causal and stable?.

Solution:
The system is causal when RoC is Re(s) > Re(a + jb) = a (poles) and stable when Re(s) = 0 is included in
RoC. Thus a < 0 implies causal system is stable.
(c) How does changing a aects |H(0)|
Solution:
H(0) = 1
a2 +b2 . Thus increasing |a| decreases |H(0)|. Pushing the poles away from the origin decreases the
|H(0)|
(d) Draw an intuitive plot ω vs |H(jω)| for b = 0, b = 1, b = 2 and b = 3,)
 b=0 b=1
4 4
Im(s) = ! Im(s) = !
3 3 3 3

2 2 2 2

1 1 1 1

Re(s) = < Re(s) = <

0 0

!
-2 2 -2 2
-1 -1 -1 -1

-2 -2 -2 -2

-3 -3 -3 -3

-4 -4
1 0.5 0 0.6 0.4 0.2 0
|H(j!)| |H(j!)|
b=2 b=3
4 4
Im(s) = ! Im(s) = !
3 3 3 3

2 2 2 2

1 1 1 1

Re(s) = < Re(s) = <

0

!
0
!

-2 2 -2 2
-1 -1 -1 -1

-2 -2 -2 -2

-3 -3 -3 -3

-4 -4
0.25 0.2 0.15 0.1 0.05 0.18 0.16 0.14 0.12 0.1
|H(j!)| |H(j!)|

Assignment:

6. Verify that the Laplace transform of e−at cos(bt)u(t) is s

(s+a)2 +b2 using the the denition of Laplace transform.
Solution:

Z∞
L(x(t)) = x(t)e−st dt
−∞
Z∞
= e−at cos(bt)u(t)e−st dt
−∞
Z∞
ejbt + e−jbt
= e−at u(t)e−st dt
2
−∞
Z∞ Z∞
1 −(s+a−jb)t 1
= e dt + e−(s+a+jb)t dt
2 2
0 0
−(s+a−jb)t
t=∞ t=∞
1 e−(s+a+jb)t
 
1 e
= +
2 −(s + a − jb) t=0 2 −(s + a + jb) t=0
1 1 1 1
= + for Re(s + a) > 0
2 s + a − jb 2 s + a + jb
1 s + a + jb + s + a − jb
=
2 (s + a − jb)(s + a + jb)
s+a
=
(s + a)2 + b2

with RoC Re(s) > Re(−a)