Paper 4, Section II, B

Complex Methods | Part IB, 2014

Find the Laplace transforms of tnt^{n} for nn a positive integer and H(ta)H(t-a) where a>0a>0 and H(t)H(t) is the Heaviside step function.

Consider a semi-infinite string which is initially at rest and is fixed at one end. The string can support wave-like motions, and for t>0t>0 it is allowed to fall under gravity. Therefore the deflection y(x,t)y(x, t) from its initial location satisfies

2t2y=c22x2y+g for x>0,t>0\frac{\partial^{2}}{\partial t^{2}} y=c^{2} \frac{\partial^{2}}{\partial x^{2}} y+g \quad \text { for } \quad x>0, t>0

with

y(0,t)=y(x,0)=ty(x,0)=0 and y(x,t)gt22 as xy(0, t)=y(x, 0)=\frac{\partial}{\partial t} y(x, 0)=0 \quad \text { and } \quad y(x, t) \rightarrow \frac{g t^{2}}{2} \text { as } x \rightarrow \infty

where gg is a constant. Use Laplace transforms to find y(x,t)y(x, t).

[The convolution theorem for Laplace transforms may be quoted without proof.]

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