
48 
Mathematics 
the general solution is 
y 
= 
u 
+ 
c,u, 
+ 
C,U, 
+ . . 
. 
+ 
C"U", 
where  u  is  any  solution  of  the given  equation and ul, uq, 
. . 
., 
un form  a 
fundamental system 
of solutions to the homogeneous equation  [E(x) 
t 
zero]. 
A 
set of  functions has  linear  independence  if  its Wronskian determinant, W(x), 
# 
0, 
where 
UI 
up 
... 
u, 
u,  up 
... 
U" 
.  .  ... . 
W(x) 
= 
u;"  u; 
... 
u: 
and m 
= 
n 
- 
lLh 
derivative. (In certain cases, a set of functions may  be linearly 
independent when W(x) 
= 
0.) 
The Laplace Transformation 
The 
Laplace transformation 
is based upon the Laplace integral which transforms 
a differential equation  expressed  in terms of  time to an equation  expressed in 
terms  of 
a 
complex  variable 
B 
+ 
jw. 
The new  equation  may  be  manipulated 
algebraically  to  solve for  the desired  quantity  as  an  explicit  function  of  the 
complex variable. 
Essentially three reasons  exist for the use  of  the Laplace transformation: 
1. 
The ability to use  algebraic  manipulation  to solve high-order differential 
2. 
Easy  handling of  boundary conditions 
3. 
The method  is  suited  to  the complex-variable theory  associated with  the 
equations 
Nyquist stability criterion 
[ 
11. 
In  Laplace-transformation  mathematics,  the  following symbols  and variables 
are used: 
f(t) 
= 
a function of  time 
F(s) 
= 
the Laplace transform  of 
f, 
expressed  in 
s, 
resulting  from operating on 
s 
= 
a complex variable of  the form 
(O 
+ 
jw) 
f(t) 
with  the  Laplace integral. 
6: 
= 
the Laplace operational symbol, i.e., 
F(s) 
= 
S[f(t)]. 
The Laplace integral  is defined as 
6: 
= 
jo-e-"dt  and 
so 
6:[f(t)] 
= 
re-'"f(t)dt 
Table 
1-8 
lists the transforms of  some common time-variable expressions.