CONTENTS

1. LEGENDRE’S EQUATION
1. LEGENDRE’S POLYNOMIAL Pn(x)
2. LEGENDRE’S FUNCTION OF THE SECOND KIND i.e. Qn(x)
1.3 GENERAL SOLUTION OF LEGENDRE’S EQUATION
2. RODRIGUE’S FORMULA
3. A GENERATING FUNCTION OF LEGENDRE’S
POLYNOMIAL
4. ORTHOGONALITY OF LEGENDRE POLYNOMIALS
5. RECURRENCE FORMULAE
6. NUMERICAL PROBLEMS
7. LEGENDRE’S POLYNOMIALS APPLICATIONS
8. NUMERICAL PROBLEMS
1. LEGENDRE’S EQUATION
NOW,

y  xm (a  a x 1  a x 2 ...(2)
 ...)
 0 1
y  ar x
2 mr

 r 0

dy
s o that   a r (m  r) m  r l

dx r
0

d y
2
mr 2
and
d x 2  r a r ( m  r ) ( m  r  l ) x
0

Substituting these values in (1), w e have

  
(1- 2 
 a r (m  r)(m  r  mr 2
 2x  ar (m  r)xmr l
 n(n 1) a x mr

x) r 0l)x 0 r 0 r r



  
0
(m  r)(m  r  l)x mr 2
 n(n 1)  2(m  r)  (m  r)(m  r  l)  x mr
 a

r
0

0
 (m  r)(m  r  l)x n(n 1)  (m  r)  (m  r  l) xmr  a
mr 2
 r
..
r 0

The equation0 (3) is an identity and therefore coefficients of various powers of
r
x must variable. Now equating to zero the coefficient of x i.e. by substituting r
m

= 0 in the second summation we get,

a0 {n(n + 1) – m (m + 1)} = 0

But a0 ≠ 0, as it is the coefficient of the very first term in the series

HER n(n + 1) – m (m + 1) = 0 …
E, (4)

n2 + n – m2 – m = 0 ⇒ (n2 – m2) + (n – m) =
i.e.,

⇒
0 (n – m)(n + m + 1) = 0, This is the indicial equation.
which gives m=n or m = - n – 1 …(5)

Next equating to zero the coefficient of x m – 1 by putting r = 1, in the second

summation a1[n(n + 1) – (m – 1)m] = 0

⇒ a1(n2 + n – m2 + m) = 0 ⇒ a1[(n2 – m2) + n + m] = 0

⇒ a1((m + n) (m – n – l)] = 0

which gives a1 = 0 …(6)

Since ( m + n ) ( m – n – l) ≠ 0 , b y ( 5 )

A g a i n t o f i n d a r e l a t i o n i n s u c c e s s i v e c o e f f i c i e n t s a r , etc., e q u a t i n g t h e
coefficient of x m – r - 2 to zero, w e get

( m – r ) ( m – r – l) a r + [ n ( n + 1 ) – ( m – r – 2 ) ( m – r – l)] a r + 2 = 0 …(7)

N o w, n ( n + 1 ) – ( m – r – 2 ) ( m – r – l) = n 2 + n – ( m – r – l – l ) ( m – r – l)

⎛ = − [ ( 𝑚 − 𝑟 − 𝑙) 2 − ( 𝑚 − 𝑟 − 𝑙) − 𝑛2
= −[ ( 𝑚 − 𝑟 − 𝑙 + 𝑛) ( 𝑚 − 𝑟 − ! − 𝑛) − (𝑚 − 𝑟 − 𝑙
⎨ − 𝑛] ⎫
= − ][ ⎞( 𝑚 − 𝑟 − 𝑙 + 𝑛 ) ( 𝑚 − 𝑟 − 𝑙 − 𝑛
⎝ + 𝑛) ⎠
− 𝑙) ]
= −[ ( 𝑚 − 𝑟 + 𝑛 − 𝑙) ( 𝑚 − 𝑟 − 𝑛 −
O n simplification (7) b e c o m e s

⇒ ( m – r2))(]m – r – l) a r – ( m – r + n – l ) ( m – r – n – 2 ) a r + 2 = 0

⇒ 𝑎𝑟 + 2 = ( 𝑚−𝑟) 𝑎𝑟 …(8)
( 𝑚 −( 𝑟𝑚+−𝑛𝑟−−𝑙 𝑙) )

N o w s i n c e a 1 = a 3 = a 5 = a 1 =( 𝑚…− 𝑟=− 0𝑛 − 2 )

For the t w o values given by (5) there arises following t w o cases.

CASE I: When m = n
( 𝑛−𝑟 ) ( 𝑛−𝑟−𝑙 )
𝑎𝑟+ = −
𝑎2
[From(8)]
( 2𝑛−𝑟−𝑙 )
�
�
( 𝑟+2 )
If r = 0 𝑎2 = − 0
( 2𝑛−𝑙 ) 2

𝑛 ( 𝑛 − 𝑙()𝑛−2 ) ( 𝑛−3 )
𝑎4 = − 𝑎
=
𝑛 ( 𝑛−1 ) ( 𝑛−2 )
𝑎
If r = 2, 2 0
( 2𝑛−3 ) × ( 2𝑛−1 )
4 ( 𝑛−3
( 2𝑛−3 ) 2.4
𝑎
)
and so on and a1 = a3 = a5 = … = 0

Hence the series (2) becomes

𝑦 = 𝑎0 𝑛 ( 𝑛 −1 )
𝑥𝑛−2 +
𝑛 ( 𝑛−1 ) ( 𝑛−2 ) (𝑛−3)
. 𝑥𝑛−2 −
[𝑥 𝑛
Which is a solution of⋯(1).
]
( 2𝑛−1 ) .2 ( 2𝑛−1 ) ( 2𝑛−3 ) 2.4
C a s e II: W h e n m = − (n + 1), w e h ave
( 𝑛 + 𝑟 + 1 ) ( 𝑛 + 𝑟 + 2 )
𝑎𝑟+2 = − 𝑎𝑟 [From(8)]
( 𝑟+2) ( 2𝑛
( 𝑛 ++1 𝑟) +
( 𝑛
3 )+ 2 )
If r = 0, 𝑎2 = − 𝑎0 ;
2( 2𝑛
( 𝑛++
3 3) ) ( 𝑛 + 4 ) ( 𝑛 +1) ( 𝑛 +2) ( 𝑛 +3)
𝑎4 ( 𝑛 +4)
= − 𝑎2 = 𝑎0
If r = 2, a n d so on.
4.( 2𝑛 +5) 2.4( 2𝑛 +3) ( 2𝑛

H e n c e t h e s e r i e s ( 2 ) i n t h i s c a s e b e c+ o5 m e s
)

𝑦 0 [ 𝑥 − 𝑛 − 1 + ( 𝑛 +1) ( 𝑛 + 2 )
𝑥 − 𝑛 − 3 +
( 𝑛 +1) ( 𝑛 +2) ( 𝑛 +3) ( 𝑛 + 4 )
. 𝑥 − 𝑛
= 𝑎
…(9)

T h i s g i v−e5s a+ n o+t h⋯e r ]s o l u t i o n o f ( 1 ) i n a s e r i e s o f d e s c e n d i n g p o w e r s o f x .

2.( 2𝑛 +3) 2.4( 2𝑛 +3) ( 2𝑛 +5)
N o t e . If w e w a n t t o i n t e g ra t e t h e L e g e n d r e ’ s e q u a t i o n i n a s e r i e s of a s c e n d i n g
p o w e r s of x, w e a n y p r o c e e d b y t ak ing

11 k  2 
 a x  a x
y  a0 x 4
1 2  ...  
r 0
arx k  r

B u t integration in d e s c e n d i n g p o w e r s of x is m o r e i m p o r t a n t t h a n that in ascend i ng

p o w e r s o f x.
1.1. LEGENDRE’S POLYNOMIAL
PN(X)
1.2. LEGENDRE’S FUNCTION OF
THE SECOND KIND I.E. QN(X)
 1.3 GENERAL SOLUTION OF
LEGENDRE’S EQUATION
•Since Pn(x)
and Qn(x) are two independent solution
of Legendre’s equation,
• Therefore the most general solution of Legendre’s
equation is y = APn(x) + Qn(x)
• Where A and B are two arbitrary constants
 2. RODRIGUE’S FORMULA

1
𝑃𝑛 ( 𝑥) ( 𝑥 −
𝑑 𝑛
2
2 𝑛 .𝑛 ! 𝑑𝑥
=
Let v = 1
( x) 2𝜋 – 1 ) n
𝑛
Proof. …(1)
𝑑𝑣
Then
𝑑𝑥 = 𝑛( 𝑥 2
− 1) 𝑛 − 1

M u l t i p l y i n g b (o 2t h𝑥 )s i d e s b y ( x 2 – 1 ) , w e g e t

( 𝑥2 − 1) = 2𝑛 ( 𝑥 −
𝑑 𝑣 2

1) 𝑛 𝑥.
𝑑𝑥

⇒ ( 𝑥 2
− = 2𝑛𝑣𝑥
𝑑𝑥
[Using (1)] …(2)

1 )o w
N
𝑑 𝑣
differentiating (2), (n + 1) times Leibnitz’s theorem, w e h ave

+ 𝐶2 ( 2) = + 𝐶1 ( 𝑙)
𝑛 𝑛
2 𝑑𝑛 +2𝑣 𝑑 𝑛 + 1𝑣 𝑑 𝑣 𝑑𝑛 +1𝑣
( 𝑥 − 1) 𝐶1 ( 2 𝑥 )𝑑 +
( 𝑛 +1) ( 𝑛 +1) ( 𝑛 +1)
𝑑 𝑥 𝑛 𝑛
2 𝑛 [𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑 𝑥 𝑛 𝑑 𝑑𝑥
𝑛 𝑛
𝑥
+2 +1 +1

⇒ + 2 𝑥 [( 1𝑣]]
𝑛 + 1 )𝐶 − 𝑛] + 2 [( 𝑛 + 1 )𝐶 = 0
2 𝑑𝑛 +2𝑣 𝑑𝑛 +1𝑣 𝑑 𝑣
( 𝑥 − 1)
𝑛

𝑑 𝑥 𝑛 +2
1
𝑑 𝑥 𝑛
2 − 𝑛 . ( 𝑛
𝑑𝑥 𝑛
+1

⇒ 𝐶
𝑛 +2 𝑛 +1
+1)
( 𝑥 − 1 + 2𝑥 − 𝑛 ( 𝑛 + 1 𝑑) 𝑥
𝑛
)𝑑 𝑥 𝑛 + 2
2 𝑑 𝑣 𝑑 𝑣 𝑑 𝑣 …(3)
= 0
𝑑 𝑥 𝑛 𝑛
+1
 = 𝑦, (3)
𝑛
𝑑 𝑣
𝑑𝑥
IF W E P U T 𝑛

( 𝑥2 − 1) + 2𝑥 − 𝑛( 𝑛 +
BECOMES
2𝑑 𝑦 𝑑𝑦

1) 𝑦 = 0
𝑑𝑥 2 𝑑𝑥
(1 − 𝑥 ) − 2𝑥 + 𝑛( 𝑛 +
2𝑑
⇒
2 𝑦 𝑑𝑦

1) 𝑦 = 0
𝑑𝑥 2 𝑑𝑥
𝑛
This shows that 𝑦 = 𝑑 𝑣
is a solution of
Legendre’s equation. 𝑑𝑥
𝑛

∴ = 𝑃𝑛
𝑑𝑛 𝑣

𝐶
…(4)
𝑑𝑥
( 𝑥)
𝑛

W h e r e C is a constant .

But v = (x2 – 1)n = (x + 1)n (x – 1)n

= (𝑥 +
𝑛
𝑑 𝑣 𝑑𝑛 𝑑 𝑛 −1
( 𝑥 − 1) + 𝐶 . 𝑛( 𝑥 +
𝑛1
( 𝑥 − 1) 𝑛 + ⋯
1) 𝑛
so that 𝑛
𝑑𝑥 𝑛 𝑑𝑥 𝑛
𝑑𝑥 𝑛
+
1) 𝑛 − 1
−1
𝑑𝑛
(𝑥 − 𝑑𝑥 𝑛 ( 𝑥 + 1)
𝑛
=
0
1) 𝑛 𝑛
𝑑 𝑣
=
2 . 𝑛!
when x = 1, t h e n
𝑛 𝑑 𝑥 𝑛

All t h e o t h e r t e r m s d i s a p p e a r a s ( x – 1 ) is a fa c t o r i n e v e r y t e r m e x c e p t first.
Therefore X = 1, (4) GIVES
when
C.2N.N! = PN(1) = [Pn(1) =

𝐶
1
1 1]

= 𝑛! 2𝑛 .
…
(5)
Substituting the value of C from (5) in (4), we
have
1 𝑑𝑛 𝑣
𝑃� (𝑥) 2𝑛 .𝑛!
= 1 𝑑𝑥𝑑
�
𝑛

𝑃� (𝑥) 2𝑛 .𝑛!𝑛 (𝑥 2 − [ ∴ 𝑣 = (𝑥 2 −
= 𝑑𝑥 𝑛
1)𝑛 1)𝑛 ]
�
3. A GENERATING FUNCTION OF
LEGENDRE’S POLYNOMIAL
Thus coefficient of zn in the expansion of (1) is sum of (2), (3) and (4) etc.

= 1.3.5..(2𝑛−1)[𝑥𝑛𝑛−2 𝑛(𝑛−1) . 𝑥 + 𝑛(𝑛+1)(𝑛−2)(𝑛−3) 𝑥𝑛− 4

− ⋯ ] = �𝑃
− 𝑛! 2(2𝑛−1) (𝑥) 2.4(2𝑛−1) �
(2𝑛−3)
Thus coefficient of z, z2, z3 … etc. in (1) are P1(x), P2(x), P3(x) …

Hence

(1 – 2xz + z2)-1/2 = P0(x) + zP1(x) + z2P2(x) + z3P3(x) + … + zn Pn(x) + …

i.e.,
n
2 1/ 2 n

Proved.
1 2xz  z   Pn
(x).z
 n0
5. RECURRENCE FORMULAE
6. NUMERICAL PROBLEMS
7. LEGENDRE’S POLYNOMIALS
APPLICATIONS
 𝑃3 ( 𝑥 ) =2 1 ( 5𝑥 3 −
Similarly

3𝑥 )
𝑃4 ( 𝑥 ) =8 1 ( 35𝑥 4 − 30𝑥 4
+ 3)
𝑃5 ( 𝑥 ) =8 1 ( 63𝑥 5 − 70𝑥 3 +
15𝑥
… … …)… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … .

n
(1) r (2n  2r)!
Pn ( x )  2 n .r !(n  r)!(n  2r)!
x n2r

 r

𝑁 =2 𝑛 if n is
0

where
even
𝑁 =2 1 ( 𝑛 − 1 ) if n is
odd
Note. We can evaluate Pn(x) by differentiating (x2 – 1)n, n
times.
r n r
n
 nCr (x ) (1)  (1)r
n
d 2 n 2 nr r
x2n2r
(x 1)
n
! 
r !(n
dxn r r

1 d 2 r)!
0 0
 1 rn n
Pn (x)  n
n
n
(xn 1)
2n.n!
n
! 
2n2r

2 .n! r (1) r!(n 
N
dx (2n  2r)! n2r 0
(1) r
r)! x
x

r 0 r!(n  r)!(n 
2r)!
Either x0 or x1 is in the last

𝑟
term.

∴
2
or = 𝑛
(n is
n – 2r = 0 even)
𝑟 =2 1 (𝑛 − (n is

1)
N – 2r = 1 odd)

or
8. NUMERICAL PROBLEMS