Recursive Formula for Legendre Polynomials

Generating function
g(t,x) =

1
1 2xt + t 2

Pj (x)t j

(1)

j =0

Recursive relation for Pj(x)

( j +1)Pj +1 = (2 j +1)xPj jPj 1

(Proof) Differentiate Eq. (1) with respect to t.

(2)

P0 = 1 P1 = x

g
2(t x)
=
=
jPj (x)t j1

2
3
/
2
t 2(1 2xt + t )
j=1

j=0

j=1

(x t) P j (x)t j = (1 2xt + t 2 ) jPj (x)t j1

j=0

j=1

j=0

j=1

j=2

x P j (x)t j P j1 (x)t j = ( j + 1)P j +1 (x)t j 2x jPj (x)t j + ( j 1)P j1 (x)t j

Compare the coefficients of tj:

(j = 0)
xP0 = P1
P0 = 1 P1 = x

(j = 1)
xP1 P0 = 2P2 2xP1
2
x 1 = 2P2 2x 2 P2 = (3x 2 1) /2

(j 2)

xPj P j1 = ( j + 1)P j +1 2xjP j + ( j 1)P j1

( j + 1)P j +1 = (2 j + 1)xP j jPj1

Recursive relation for P j(x)

(x 2 1)Pj = jxPj jPj 1

(Proof) Differentiate Eq. (1) with respect to x.

g
2t
=
=
P j (x)t j

x 2(1 2xt + t 2 ) 3 / 2 j=0

t
g(t,
x)
=
P j (x)t j

2
(1 2xt + t )
j=0

j=0

j=0

t P j (x)t j = (1 2xt + t 2 ) P j (x)t j

(3)

j=1

j=0

j=1

j=2

(x)t j + P j2
(x)t j
Pj1 (x)t j = Pj (x)t j 2x Pj1

(4)

+ P j2

P j1 = P j 2xP j1
From the 3-point recursion, Eq. (2), for Pj (shifted by one),

jPj = (2 j 1)xP j1 ( j 1)P j2

dx
jP = (2 j 1)P + (2 j 1)xP ( j 1) P
j

j1

j1

j2

(5)

(5) + ( j 1) (4) to eliminate Pj2

( j 1) P j2

jP j = (2 j 1)P j1 + (2 j 1)xP j1
+ ( j 1) P j2

+) ( j 1)P j1 = ( j 1) P j 2( j 1)xP j1

P j = jPj1 + xP j1

(6)

Now consider another recursive formula for Pj(x) as follows:

g
2t
=
=
P j (x)t j

2
3
/
2
x 2(1 2xt + t )
j=0

g
g
= (x t)
t
x

j=1

j=0

t jP j (x)t j1 = (x t) P j (x)t j

j=1

j=0

j=1

(x)t j
jPj (x)t j = x Pj (x)t j Pj1

(j = 0)
(j 1)

0 = P0 (x) OK

(6) + x (7) to eliminate xPj1

jPj = xP j P j1

(7)

P j = jP j1 + xP j1
+)

jxP j = x 2 P j xP j1

jxP j jP j1 = (x 2 1) P j

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