# Difference between revisions of "Legendre functions"

Functions that are solutions of the Legendre equation $$\label{eq1} \bigl( 1 - x^2 \bigr) \frac{\mathrm{d}^2y}{\mathrm{d}x^2} - 2x \frac{\mathrm{d}y}{\mathrm{d}x} + \left( \nu(\nu+1) - \frac{\mu^2}{1-x^2} \right)y = 0,$$ where $\nu$ and $\mu$ are arbitrary numbers. If $\nu = 0,1,\ldots$, and $\mu=0$, then the solutions of equation \ref{eq1}, restricted to $[-1,1]$, are called Legendre polynomials; for integers $\mu$ with $-\nu \leq \mu \leq \nu$, the solutions of \ref{eq1}, restricted to $[-1,1]$, are called Legendre associated functions.

#### References

 [AbSt] M. Abramowitz, I.A. Stegun, "Handbook of mathematical functions", Dover, reprint (1965) pp. Chapt. 8 [Le] N.N. Lebedev, "Special functions and their applications", Dover, reprint (1972) (Translated from Russian)
How to Cite This Entry:
Legendre functions. Encyclopedia of Mathematics. URL: http://www.encyclopediaofmath.org/index.php?title=Legendre_functions&oldid=25549
This article was adapted from an original article by A.B. Ivanov (originator), which appeared in Encyclopedia of Mathematics - ISBN 1402006098. See original article