Legendre polynomials formula

In summary, the conversation revolves around finding a formula for the n'th Legendre polynomial using the Legendre polynomials formula and a recurrence relation. The formula is derived by substituting n and n+1 into the formula and using the relation for a function with two terms. The final formula involves the n'th and (n-1)'th Legendre polynomials.
  • #1
inferi
16
0
There is a question where you should find a formula for P-n(0) using the Legendre polynomials:
P-n(x)=1/(2^n*n!) d^n/dx^n(x^2-1)^n , n=0,1,2,3...

I tried to derive seven times by only substituting the n until n=7,I did that because i wanted to find something that i can build my formula but i could not.
anyone can help?
 
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  • #2
Well, we have:
[tex]P_{(n+1)}(x)=\frac{1}{(n+1!)2^{(n+1)}}\frac{d^{n}}{dx^{n}}(\frac{d}{dx}(x^{2}-1)^{n+1}))=\frac{2(n+1)}{(n+1!)2^{(n+1)}}\frac{d^{n}}{dx^{n}}(x*(x^{2}-1)^{n})=\frac{1}{2^{n}n!}\frac{d^{n}}{dx^{n}}(x*(x^{2}-1)^{n})[/tex]

For a function h(x)=f(x)*g(x), we have:
[tex]\frac{d^{n}h}{dx^{n}}=\sum_{i=0}^{n}\binom{n}{i}f^{i}g^{n-i}[/tex]
where the upper indices of f and g signifies the i'th and the (n-i)-th derivative, respectively.

Using this relation with f(x)=x, and that all terms are zero beyond i=1, you may transform the expression for the (n+1)'th Legendre polynomial in term of a recurrence relation involving the n'th and (n-1)'th Legendre polynomials.
 
  • #3
sorry for bothering but can you please make it again with using the n'th derivative
 

What is the formula for Legendre polynomials?

The formula for Legendre polynomials is Pn(x) = (1/2nn!) * (dn/dxn) * (x2 - 1)n, where n is the degree of the polynomial and x is the variable.

What is the significance of Legendre polynomials in mathematics?

Legendre polynomials are significant in mathematics because they are a type of orthogonal polynomials that have many applications in areas such as calculus, differential equations, and physics.

How are Legendre polynomials related to the Legendre differential equation?

The Legendre polynomials are solutions to the Legendre differential equation, which is a second-order linear differential equation that arises in many physical problems involving spherical symmetry.

What is the recursion formula for Legendre polynomials?

The recursion formula for Legendre polynomials is Pn+1(x) = ((2n+1)xPn(x) - nPn-1(x)) / (n+1), where Pn(x) is the Legendre polynomial of degree n and Pn-1(x) is the Legendre polynomial of degree n-1.

How are Legendre polynomials used in physics?

Legendre polynomials are used in physics to describe the distribution of charge on a sphere, the potential inside a conducting sphere, and the angular distribution of particles in quantum mechanics, among other applications.

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