Legendre Differential Equation

• The Legendre differential equation is the second

order differential equation
2
d y dy
(1  x ) 2  2 x  n(n  1) y  0
2

dx dx
• which can be rewritten
dy  2 dy 
 (1  x )   n ( n  1) y  0
dx  dx 
 Legendre Differential Equation
• The above form is a special case of the so called
“associated Legendre differential equation”
corresponding to the case m =0. The Legendre
differential equation has regular singular points
at -1, 1, and ∞.
 Legendre Polynomial
• The legendre polynomials, Pn(x), sometime
called Legendre functions of the first kind,
Legendre coefficients, or zonal harmonics, are
solutions to the Legendre differential equation. If
n is an integer, they are polynomials.
• The first few Legendre polynomials are
P0(x) = 1
P1(x) = x
P2(x) = 1/2(3x2 – 1)
P3(x) = 1/2(5x3 – 3x)
P4(x) = 1/8(35x4 – 30x2 + 3)
P5(x) = 1/8(63x5 – 70x3 + 15x)
P6(x) = 1/16(63x5 – 70x3 + 15x)
 Legendre Polynomial
• Properties of Legendre Polynomials:
a. Pn(-x) = (-1)n Pn(x)
b. Pn(1) = 1
c. Pn(0) = 0, n = odd
d. Pn(-1) = (-1)n
e. P’n(0) = 0, n = even
 Legendre Polynomial
• Recurrence Relation:

Recurrence relations that relate Legendre

Polynomials of different degrees are also
important in some aspects of their applications.

(k+1)Pk+1(x) – (2k+1)xPk(x) + k Pk-1(x) = 0

 Rodrigues Formula
• This formula generates Legendre
Polynomials by differentiation. The
Rodrigues formula is ,
n
1 d
Pn ( x)  n n
( x  1) n = 0, 1, 2,…
2 n

2 n! dx
 Rodrigues Formula
Tabular computation of the Legendre
polynomials using the Rodrigues Formula.
 Legendre Polynomial
Example:
Use the recurrence relation and P0(x) = 1
and P1(x) = x to generate the next three
Legendre polynomials.
 Solution
k=1
(1+1)P1+1(x) – [2(1)+1]xP1(x) + (1) P1-1(x) = 0
2P2(x) – 3xP1(x) + P0(x) = 0
2P2(x) = 3xP1(x) - P0(x)
2P2(x) = 3x(x) - (1)
P2(x) = [3x2 – 1]/2
 Solution
k=2
(2+1)P2+1(x) – [2(2)+1]xP2(x) + (2) P2-1(x) = 0
3P3(x) – 5xP2(x) + 2P1(x) = 0
3P3(x) = 5xP2(x) - 2P1(x)
3P3 (x) = 5x([3x2 – 1]/2 ) - 2x =[15x3-5x-4x]/2
P3(x) = [15x3 – 9x]/6
P3(x) = [5x3 – 3x]/2
 Solution
k=3
(3+1)P3+1(x) – [2(3)+1]xP3(x) + (3) P3-1(x) = 0
4P4(x) – 7xP3(x) + 3P2(x) = 0
4P4(x) = 7xP3(x) - 3P2(x) = 0
4P4(x) = 7x([5x3 – 3x]/2) – 3([3x2 – 1]/2)
4P4(x) = ([35x4 – 21x2]/2) – ([9x2 – 3]/2)
4P4(x) = ([35x4 – 21x2]/2) – ([9x2 – 3]/2)
4P4(x) = ([35x4 – 30x2 + 3]/2)
P4(x) = [35x4 – 30x2 + 3]/8
 Rodrigues Formula
Example:
Use the Rodrigues Formula to generate
the Legendre Polynomials P0(0), P1(x),
P2(x), and P3(x)
 Solution
n0
0
1 d
P0 ( x)  0 0
( x  1)  1
2 0

2 0! dx
n 1
1
1 d 1 d 2
P1 ( x)  1 1
( x  1) 
2 1
( x  1)
2 1! dx 2 dx
1
P1 ( x)  (2 x)  x
2
 Solution
n2
2 2
1 d 1 d
P2 ( x)  2 2
( x  1) 
2 2
2
( x  2 x  1)
4 2

2 2! dx 8 dx
1 d 1
P2 ( x)  (4 x  4 x)  (12 x 2  4)
3

8 dx 8
3x  1
1
 
2
P2 ( x)   4 3x  1 
2

8 2
 Solution
n3
1 d3 2 1 d 3
P3 ( x)  3 3
( x  1) 3
 3
( x 6
 3 x 4
 3 x 2
 1)
2 3! dx 48 dx
1 d2 1 d
P3 ( x)  2
( 6 x 5
 12 x 3
 6 x )  (30 x 4
 36 x 2
 6)
48 dx 48 dx
1 1
P3 ( x)  (120 x  72 x) 
3
(24)(5 x 3  3 x)
48 2(24)
5 x3  3x
P3 ( x) 
2
 Seatwork
3. Use the Rodrigues Formula to generate
the Legendre Polynomials P8(x), P9(x),
P10(x).

4. Use the recurrence relation of Legendre

polynomials to generate, P8(x), P9(x),
P10(x).