Laplace transform of saw-tooth function

a 2a 3a

1
We notice for this problem, f (t ) = t and the period, p = a
a

The definition of Laplace transform can now be applied:

∞
F ( s ) = ∫ e − st f (t )dt
0

a 2a
Since each piece needs to be integrated separately, (i.e. ∫ + ∫ + ... ), apply summation:
0 a
∞ ( n +1) a t
F (s) = ∑ ∫ e − st dt
n=0 na a

The integration can be accomplished using integration by parts, where u = t and dv =

− se − st dt , resulting with:
−
as
[
1 − st
te − ∫ e − st dt na ]
( n +1) a

( n +1) a
1  − st 1 − st 
=− te + e 
as  s  na

=−
1 

as 
( n + 1) ae − sa ( n +1)
− nae + e
s
(
− san 1 − sa ( n +1) 
− e − san 

)
Let’s take this one piece at a time. The first piece is: (n + 1)ae − sa ( n +1) − nae − san
nae − sa ( n +1) + ae − sa ( n +1) − nae − san
e − sa ( n +1) = e − san − sa = e − san * e − sa (1)
nae − san * e − sa + ae − san * e − sa − nae − san
ae − sa (ne − san + e − san ) − nae − san (2)

applying the summation …

∞ ∞ ∞
− sa − sa n
∑ (2) = ae ∑ n (e ) + (e − sa ) n − ∑ na (e − sa ) n
n =0 n=0 n=0

as n approaches infinity, the summation terms multiplied by n go to zero since the

exponential term decreases much faster than the linear term increases:

∞
− sa
∞
− sa n ae − sa
∑ (2) = ae
n =0
∑ (e ) =
n=0 (1 − e − sa ) , since this is a geometric series
The second piece is:
s
e (
1 − sa ( n +1)
− e − san )
From (1), this can be rearranged in the form:

s
(
1 − san − sa
e *e −e − san
=
e − sa − a − san
s
(e ) )
applying summation....
e − sa − a ∞ − sa n e − sa − a 1
∑ (e ) = *
s n=0 s (1 − e − sa )

Putting it all together…

1  ae − sa( )
(e − sa − 1) 
F (s) = − 
(
as  1 − e − sa
+
) 
s(1 − e − sa ) 
(ae − sa ) − (e − sa − 1)
as (1 − e − sa ) as 2 (1 − e − sa )
=−

( ae − sa ) (1 − e − sa )
as (1 − e − sa ) as 2 (1 − e − sa )
=− +

1 e − sa
F (s) = −
as 2 s (1 − e − sa )