NPTEL Online Course (Jan - May 2025)

Control Engineering
Instructor: Dr. Ramkrishna Pasumarthy
Indian Institute of Technology, Madras

Solution - Assignment 2

1. Laplace Transform Properties: Given a bounded signal that is non-zero only inside
a finite time, its Laplace transform is a polynomial in the numerator and denominator
without any poles.
The correct option is (b) It has no poles.

2. Inverse Laplace Transform: Given

 
−1 3s + 7
L 2
s − 2s − 3

Factorizing the denominator:

s2 − 2s − 3 = (s − 3)(s + 1)

Using partial fraction decomposition:

3s + 7 A B
= +
(s − 3)(s + 1) s−3 s+1

Multiplying both sides by (s − 3)(s + 1) to clear the denominators:

3s + 7 = A(s + 1) + B(s − 3)

3s + 7 = As + A + Bs − 3B
3s + 7 = (A + B)s + (A − 3B)
Equating coefficients:

A+B =3
A − 3B = 7

Solving for A and B:

A = 4, B = −1

1
 Thus,
3s + 7 4 1
= −
(s − 3)(s + 1) s−3 s+1
Taking the inverse Laplace transform:
4e3t − e−t
The correct option is (a) 4e3t − e−t .

3. The given system consists of a mass-spring-damper system with input displacement xi at

point P and output displacement xo at the mass m.
Equation of Motion: Applying Newton’s second law to the mass:
mẍo + b(ẋo − ẋi ) + k(xo − xi ) = 0 (1)
where:
• m is the mass,
• b is the damping coefficient,
• k is the spring constant,
• xo is the output displacement,
• xi is the input displacement.
Rearranging the equation:
mẍo + bẋo + kxo = bẋi + kxi (2)

Laplace Transform: Taking the Laplace transform, assuming zero initial conditions:
ms2 Xo (s) + bsXo (s) + kXo (s) = bsXi (s) + kXi (s) (3)
(ms2 + bs + k)Xo (s) = (bs + k)Xi (s) (4)
Xo (s)
The transfer function H(s) = Xi (s) is given by:

bs + k
H(s) = (5)
ms2 + bs + k
bs+k
The correct option is (b) ms2 +bs+k

4. Transfer Function Calculation: Given the differential equation:

ẍ(t) + 6ẋ(t) + 3x(t) = 10u(t)
Taking the Laplace transform (assuming zero initial conditions):
(s2 + 6s + 3)X(s) = 10U (s)
Thus, the transfer function is:
X(s) 10
= 2
U (s) s + 6s + 3
10
The correct option is (c) s2 +6s+3
.

2
 5. Final Value Theorem: Given
2s + 5
X(s) =
s2 + 5s + 6
The final value theorem states:

lim x(t) = lim sX(s)

t→∞ s→0

Computing the limit:

2s + 5
lim s · =0
s→0 s2 + 5s + 6
The correct option is (c) 0.

6. Region of Convergence: Given

1 1
X(s) = L{e−t + e−4t } = +
s+1 s+4
The ROC is determined by the rightmost pole, which is at s = −1, so:
The correct option is (b) Re(s) > −1

7. Finding a and b from the given pole: Given one pole at −4 + 7i, the other pole must
be −4 − 7i. Using the quadratic form:

s2 + as + b = (s + 4 − 7i)(s + 4 + 7i)

Expanding:
s2 + 8s + (16 + 49) = s2 + 8s + 65
The correct option is (d) a=8, b=65.

8. Inverse Laplace Transform: Given

e−s
X(s) =
(s + 2)2 + 4

Recognizing it as a time shift property of e−2t sin(2t),

The correct option is (d) 12e−2(t−1) sin(2(t − 1))

9. Laplace Transform of Derivative: Given

2
X(s) =
s+9
Using the property L{ẋ(t)} = sX(s), we get:
2s
L{ẋ(t)} =
s+9
2s
The correct option is (a) s+9 .

10. We are given an electrical circuit with components R1 , R2 , C1 , C2 as shown in the figure.
The goal is to determine the transfer function H(s) = E o (s)
Ei (s) . The impedances of the
capacitors are given by:
1 1
ZC1 = , ZC2 = .
sC1 sC2

3
The equivalent impedance of the parallel combination of R2 and C2 is:

R2 · ZC2 R2 · sC1 2
Zeq = = .
R2 + ZC2 R2 + sC1 2

Multiplying numerator and denominator by sC2 :

R2
Zeq = .
1 + R2 C2 s

Applying the voltage divider rule:

ZC1 R1
Eo (s) = Ei (s) · .
ZC1 + R1 + Zeq

1
Substituting ZC1 = sC1 :

1
sC1 R1
Eo (s) = Ei (s) · 1 R2
.
sC1 + R1 + 1+R2 C2 s

Multiplying numerator and denominator by sC1 :

R1
Eo (s) = Ei (s) · R2 C1 s
.
1 + R 1 C1 s + 1+R2 C2 s

Multiplying numerator and denominator by (1 + R2 C2 s):

R1 (1 + R2 C2 s)
Eo (s) = Ei (s) · .
(1 + R1 C1 s)(1 + R2 C2 s) + R2 C1 s

Thus, the transfer function is:

Eo (s) (R1 C1 s + 1)(R2 C2 s + 1)

H(s) = = .
Ei (s) (R1 C1 s + 1)(R2 C2 s + 1) + R2 C1 s

The correct option is (d)