Chebyshev polynomials

Not to be confused with discrete Chebyshev polynomials.

In mathematics the Chebyshev polynomials, named after Pafnuty Chebyshev,[1] are a sequence of orthogonal
polynomials which are related to de Moivres formula
and which can be dened recursively. One usually distinguishes between Chebyshev polynomials of the rst
kind which are denoted Tn and Chebyshev polynomials
of the second kind which are denoted Un. The letter T
is used because of the alternative transliterations of the
name Chebyshev as Tchebyche, Tchebyshev (French) or
Tschebyschow (German).
The Chebyshev polynomials Tn or Un are polynomials of Plot of the rst ve Chebyshev T polynomials
degree n and the sequence of Chebyshev polynomials of
either kind composes a polynomial sequence.
Chebyshev polynomials are polynomials with the largest
possible leading coecient, but subject to the condition
that their absolute value on the interval [1,1] is bounded
by 1. They are also the extremal polynomials for many
other properties.[2]
Chebyshev polynomials are important in approximation
theory because the roots of the Chebyshev polynomials
of the rst kind, which are also called Chebyshev nodes,
are used as nodes in polynomial interpolation. The resulting interpolation polynomial minimizes the problem
of Runges phenomenon and provides an approximation
that is close to the polynomial of best approximation to Plot of the rst ve Chebyshev U polynomials
a continuous function under the maximum norm. This
approximation leads directly to the method of Clenshaw 1 Denition
Curtis quadrature.
In the study of dierential equations they arise as the solution to the Chebyshev dierential equations

The Chebyshev polynomials of the rst kind are dened by the recurrence relation
T0 (x) = 1

(1 x2 ) y x y + n2 y = 0

T1 (x) = x
Tn+1 (x) = 2xTn (x) Tn1 (x).
The ordinary generating function for Tn is

and

(1 x2 ) y 3x y + n(n + 2) y = 0

Tn (x)tn =

n=0

1 tx
;
1 2tx + t2

the exponential generating function is

for the polynomials of the rst and second kind, respectively. These equations are special cases of the Sturm
Liouville dierential equation.

n=0

Tn (x)

tn
=
n!

1
2

e(x

x2 1)t

+ e(x+

x2 1)t

= etx cosh(t x2 1)

The generating function relevant for 2-dimensional

potential theory and multipole expansion is

Dn (x) =

DEFINITION

sin((2n + 1)(x/2))
= U2n (cos(x/2)) .
sin(x/2)

That cos(nx) is an nth-degree polynomial in cos(x) can be

seen by observing that cos(nx) is the real part of one side
of de Moivres formula, and the real part of the other side
n=1
is a polynomial in cos(x) and sin(x), in which all powers of
The Chebyshev polynomials of the second kind are de- sin(x) are even and thus replaceable through the identity
ned by the recurrence relation
cos2 (x) + sin2 (x) = 1.

Tn (x)

tn
1
= ln
.
n
1 2tx + t2

This identity is quite useful in conjunction with the recursive generating formula, inasmuch as it enables one to
calculate the cosine of any integral multiple of an angle
solely in terms of the cosine of the base angle.

U0 (x) = 1
U1 (x) = 2x
Un+1 (x) = 2xUn (x) Un1 (x).

Evaluating the rst two Chebyshev polynomials,

The ordinary generating function for Un is

T0 (x) = cos(0x) = 1

Un (x)tn =

n=0

and

1
;
1 2tx + t2

T1 (cos(x)) = cos(x) ,

the exponential generating function is

one can straightforwardly determine that

(
)

2
x
tn
tx
cos(2)
=
2
2
cosh(t x 1) +
sinh(t x 1) 2 .cos cos cos(0) = 2 cos 1
Un (x) = e
2
n!
x 1
n=0
cos(3) = 2 cos cos(2)cos = 4 cos3 3 cos ,

and so forth.

1.1

Trigonometric denition

The Chebyshev polynomials of the rst kind can be dened as the unique polynomials satisfying

Two immediate corollaries are the composition identity

(or nesting property specifying a semigroup)

Tn (Tm (x)) = Tnm (x) ;

(
)

arccos(x) ,
cos n
(
)
Tn (x) = cosh n arccosh(x) ,

(
)

(1)n cosh n arccosh(x) ,

if|x| 1
ifx 1
ifx 1

or, in other words, as the unique polynomials satisfying

Tn (cos()) = cos(n)

and the expression of complex exponentiation in terms of

Chebyshev polynomials: given z = a + bi,
( (
)
(
))
a
a
z = |z| cos n arccos
+ i sin n arccos
|z|
|z|
( )
( )
a
a
= |z|n Tn
+ ib |z|n1 Un1
.
|z|
|z|
n

for n = 0, 1, 2, 3, ... which is a variant (equivalent trans- 1.2 Pell equation denition
pose) of Schrders equation, viz. Tn(x) is functionally
conjugate to nx, codied in the nesting property below. The Chebyshev polynomials can also be dened as the
Further compare to the spread polynomials, in the sec- solutions to the Pell equation
tion below.
The polynomials of the second kind satisfy:

Un (cos()) =

sin((n + 1))
,
sin

Tn (x)2 (x2 1)Un1 (x)2 = 1

in a ring R[x].[3] Thus, they can be generated by the standard technique for Pell equations of taking powers of a
fundamental solution:

which is structurally quite similar to the Dirichlet kernel

Dn (x) :
Tn (x) + Un1 (x) x2 1 = (x + x2 1)n .

1.3

Products of Chebyshev polynomials

When working with Chebyshev polynomials quite often

products of two of them occur. These products can be
reduced to combinations of Chebyshev polynomials with
lower or higher degree and concluding statements about
the product are easier to make. It shall be assumed that in
the following the index m is greater than or equal to the
index n and n is not negative. For Chebyshev polynomials
of the rst kind the product expands to

n (2x, 1) = Un1 (x),

U
Vn (2x, 1) = 2 Tn (x).
It follows that they also satisfy a pair of mutual recurrence
equations:

Tn+1 (x) = xTn (x) (1 x2 )Un1 (x),

2Tm (x)Tn (x) = Tm+n (x) + T|mn| (x)

Un (x) = xUn1 (x) + Tn (x).

which is an analogy to the addition theorem

2 cos cos = cos( + ) + cos( ) with
the identities = m arccos x, = n arccos x. For n=1
this results in the already known recurrence formula,
just arranged dierently, and with n=2 it forms the
recurrence relation for all even or all odd Chebyshev
polynomials (depending on the parity of the lowest
m) which allows to design functions with prescribed
symmetry properties. Three more useful formulas for
evaluating Chebyshev polynomials can be concluded
from this product expansion:

The Chebyshev polynomials of the rst and second kinds

are also connected by the following relations:

d
dx

Tn (x) = nUn1 (x) , n = 1, . . .

Tn (x) = 21 (Un (x) Un2 (x)).

Tn+1 (x) = xTn (x) (1 x2 )Un1 (x)
Tn (x) = Un (x) x Un1 (x),
Un (x) = 2

T2n (x) = 2Tn2 (x) T0 (x) = 2Tn2 (x) 1

Tj (x)

j odd

T2n+1 (x) = 2Tn+1 (x)Tn (x)T1 (x) = 2Tn+1 (x)Tn (x)x

Un (x) = 2
Tj (x) 1
T2n1 (x) = 2Tn1 (x)Tn (x)T1 (x) = 2Tn1 (x)Tn (x)x
j even

For Chebyshev polynomials of the second kind with prod- The recurrence relationship of the derivative of Chebyucts may be written as:
shev polynomials can be derived from these relations:

Um (x)Un (x) =

k=0

Umn+2k (x) =

m+n

p=mn, 2 step

1
d
1
d
Up (x). 2Tn (x) = n + 1 dx Tn+1 (x) n 1 dx Tn1 (x) ,

for m n.

n = 2, 3, . . .

This relationship is used in the Chebyshev spectral

method of solving dierential equations.

By this, like above, with n=2 the recurrence formula of Turns inequalities for the Chebyshev polynomials are
Chebyshev polynomials of the second kind forms for both
types of symmetry to
Tn (x)2 Tn1 (x)Tn+1 (x) = 1x2 > 0 for 1 < x < 1
Um+2 (x) = U2 (x)Um (x)Um (x)Um2 (x) = Um (x)(U2 (x)1)U
m2 (x),
Un (x)2 Un1 (x)Un+1 (x) = 1 > 0.

Relations between Chebyshev

polynomials of the rst and
second kinds

The integral relations are

Tn (y)dy

= Un1 (x),
1 y2

(y x)

The Chebyshev polynomials of the rst and second kinds 1 1 y 2 U

n1 (y)dy
= Tn (x)
correspond to a complementary pair of Lucas sequences
y

x
1
n (P, Q) with parameters P = 2x and
Vn (P, Q) and U
where integrals are considered as principal value.
Q=1:

4 PROPERTIES

Explicit expressions

where 2 F 1 is a hypergeometric function.

Dierent approaches to dening Chebyshev polynomials

lead to dierent explicit expressions such as:

cos(n arccos(x))
Tn (x) = cosh(n arccosh(x))

(1)n cosh(n arccosh(x))

{
=

|x| 1
x1
x 1

cos(n
[( arccos(x))

)n (
)n ]
1
21
21
x

x
+
x
+
x
2

)
2(
)k
n ( 2
Tn (x) =
x 1 xn2k
2k

=x

)
2(
n (

k=0

n
2

k=0
n

2k

1 x2

)k

k 1)!
(1)
(2x)n2k
k!(n 2k)!
k (n

(n + k 1)!
(1 x)k
(n k)!(2k)!
k=0
)
(
= 2 F1 n, n; 21 ; 12 (1 x)
(2)k

=n

4.1 Symmetry
Tn (x) = (1)n Tn (x)
{
Tn (x),
neven
=
Tn (x), nodd
|x| 1
Un (x) = (1)n Un (x)
{
|x| 1
Un (x),
neven
=
Un (x), nodd
That is, Chebyshev polynomials of even order have even
symmetry and contain only even powers of x. Chebyshev
polynomials of odd order have odd symmetry and contain
only odd powers of x.

k=0
n

4 Properties

4.2 Roots and extrema

n>0
A Chebyshev polynomial of either kind with degree n has
n dierent simple roots, called Chebyshev roots, in the
interval [1,1].
n > 0 The roots of the Chebyshev polynomial
of the rst kind are sometimes called Chebyshev nodes
because they are used as nodes in polynomial interpolation. Using the trigonometric denition and the fact that

with inverse

xn = 21n

n
j=0,njeven

n
Tj (x),
(n j)/2

(
)
cos (2k + 1) 2 = 0
one can easily prove that the roots of Tn are

where the prime at the sum symbol indicates that the contribution of j = 0 needs to be halved if it appears.

(
)n+1 (
)n+1
x + x2 1
x x2 1

Un (x) =
2 x2 1
n

)
2(
)k
n+1 ( 2
=
x 1 xn2k
2k + 1
k=0

= xn

)
2(
n+1 (

k=0

2k + 1

1 x2

(
)
2k (n + 1)

)k

n
2

k=0

k=0
n

(2x)n2k

(
)
nk
(1)
(2x)n2k
k
k

(n + k + 1)!
(1 x)k
(n k)!(2k + 1)!
k=0
(
)
= (n + 1) 2 F1 n, n + 2; 32 ; 21 (1 x)

(2)k

(
xk = cos

)
2k 1
,
2n

k = 1, . . . , n.

Similarly, the roots of Un are

(
xk = cos

)
k
,
n+1

k = 1, . . . , n.

The extrema of Tn on the interval 1 x 1 are located

at
( )
n>
x 0= cos k ,
k

k = 0, . . . , n.

One unique property of the Chebyshev polynomials of

the0rst kind is that on the interval 1 x 1 all of the
n>
extrema have values that are either 1 or 1. Thus these
polynomials have only two nite critical values, the denn>
ing0 property of Shabat polynomials. Both the rst and
second kinds of Chebyshev polynomial have extrema at
the endpoints, given by:

4.3

Dierentiation and integration

5
Since the limit as a whole must exist, the limit of the numerator and denominator must independently exist, and

Tn (1) = 1
Tn (1) = (1)n

Tn (1)

Un (1) = n + 1
Un (1) = (n + 1)(1)n .

4.3

Dierentiation and integration

The derivatives of the polynomials can be less than

straightforward. By dierentiating the polynomials in
their trigonometric forms, its easy to show that:

=n

limx1

nTn xUn1
x1

limx1 (x + 1)

n
nTn xUn1
lim
.
2 x1
x1

The denominator (still) limits to zero, which implies that

the numerator must be limiting to zero, i.e. Un1 (1) =
nTn (1) = n which will be useful later on. Since the
numerator and denominator are both limiting to zero,
L'Hpitals rule applies:

Tn (1) =

dTn
= nUn1
dx

n
lim
2 x1

d
dx (nTn xUn1 )
d
dx (x 1)

n
d
lim
(nTn xUn1 )
2 x1 (
dx
)
n
d
2
dUn
(n + 1)Tn+1 xUn
= lim n Un1 Un1 x (Un1 )
=
2 x1
dx
dx
x2 1
(
)
n
d
2
d2 Tn
nTn xUn1
(n + 1)Tn Un
=
n Un1 (1) Un1 (1) lim x (Un1 )
=n
=n
.
x1 dx
2
dx2
x2 1
x2 1
2
4
n
1
n
d
The last two formulas can be numerically troublesome

lim
(nUn1 )
=
x1
2
2
2
dx
due to the division by zero (0/0 indeterminate form,
n4
n2
T (1)
specically) at x = 1 and x = 1. It can be shown that:
=

n
2
2
2
4
2
n

n

Tn (1) =
.
3
d2 Tn 
n4 n2
,
=

dx2 
3
The proof for x = 1 is similar, with the fact that
x=1
Tn (1) = (1)n being important.


2
4
2
d Tn 
n n
Indeed, the following, more general formula holds:
.
= (1)n

2
dx 
3
=

x=1


dp Tn 

dxp 

Proof

= (1)n+p

p1

n2 k 2
.
2k + 1

k=0
x=1
The second derivative of the Chebyshev polynomial of
the rst kind is
This latter result is of great use in the numerical solution
of eigenvalue problems.

Tn = n

nTn xUn1
x2 1

(
)
np
dp
(n + p k)/2 1 [(n + p + k)/
p
T
(x)
=
2
n
n
k0,npkeven
dxp
(n p k)/2
[(n p + k)

which, if evaluated as shown above, poses a problem because it is indeterminate at x = 1. Since the function is a where the prime at the summation symbols means that the
polynomial, (all of) the derivatives must exist for all real term contributed by k = 0 is to be halved, if it appears.
numbers, so the taking to limit on the expression above
Concerning integration, the rst derivative of the Tn imshould yield the desired value:
plies that
Tn (1) = lim n
x1

nTn xUn1
x2 1

Un dx =

Tn+1
n+1

where only x = 1 is considered for now. Factoring the and the recurrence relation for the rst kind polynomials
denominator:
involving derivatives establishes that

Tn (1)

nTn xUn1
= lim n
= lim n
x1
x1 (x + 1)(x 1)

nTn xUn1
x1

x+1

1
Tn dx =
2

Tn+1
Tn1

n+1 n1

)
=

nTn+1
xTn

.
2
n 1 n1

4 PROPERTIES

and

4.4

Tn (x) dx =

N
1

(1)n +1
1n2

n = 1
n=1

Orthogonality

Ui (xk )Uj (xk )(1

x2k )

k=0

{
0
: i = j
=
N /2 : i = j

and without the weight function:

N
1

{
0
: parity(i) = parity(j)
Ui (xk )Uj (xk ) =
N + N min(i, j) : parity(i) = parity(j)

Both the Tn and the Un form a sequence of orthogonal k=0

polynomials. The polynomials of the rst kind are orBased on the N zeros of the Chebyshev polynomial of the
thogonal with respect to the weight
second kind UN(x)
1

,
1 x2
on the interval [1,1], i.e. we have:

(
)
k+1
xk = cos
N +1
a dierent sum can be constructed

: n = m
0
dx
Tn (x)Tm (x)
=
:n=m=0

1 x2
1

/2 : n = m = 0

N
1

Ui (xk )Uj (xk )(1

x2k )

k=0

{
0
N +1
2

: i = j
:i=j

This can be proven by letting x = cos () and using the and again without the weight function:
dening identity Tn(cos ()) = cos (n).
{
Similarly, the polynomials of the second kind are orthog- N
1
0
: parity(i) = p
onal with respect to the weight
Ui (xk )Uj (xk ) =
(min(i, j) + 1)(N max(i, j)) : parity(i) = p
k=0

1 x2

4.5 Minimal -norm

on the interval [1,1], i.e. we have:

Un (x)Um (x) 1 x2 dx =

{
0
: n = m,
/2 : n = m.

For any given n 1, among the polynomials of degree n

with leading coecient 1,

f (x) =

1
Tn (x)
2n1

(Note that the measure 1 x2 dx is, to within a nor- is the one of which the maximal absolute value on the
malizing constant, the Wigner semicircle distribution).
interval [1, 1] is minimal.
The Tn also satisfy a discrete orthogonality condition:
This maximal absolute value is

N
1

k=0

: i = j
0
Ti (xk )Tj (xk ) = N
:i=j=0

N /2 : i = j = 0

where the xk are the N Chebyshev nodes (see above) of

TN(x)
)
(
2k + 1
.
xk = cos
2N

1
2n1
and |(x)| reaches this maximum exactly n + 1 times at

x = cos

k
for 0 k n.
n

Proof

Lets assume that wn (x) is a polynomial of degree n with

For the polynomials of the second kind and with the same leading coecient 1 with maximal absolute value on the
1
.
Chebyshev nodes xk there are similar sums:
interval [1, 1] less than 2n1

4.7

Generalized Chebyshev polynomials

Dene

which is easily proved from the product-to-sum formula

for the cosine. The polynomials of the second kind satisfy
the similar relation

fn (x) =

1
2n1

Tn (x) wn (x)

Because
at extreme
points of Tn we have |wn (x)| < Tj (x)Uk (x) =
 1

 n1 Tn (x)
2

1
2
1
2

(Uj+k (x) + Ukj (x)) ,

(Uj+k (x) Ujk2 (x)) ,

ifk j 1.
ifk j 2.

(with the convention U1 0 )

fn (x) > 0 for x = cos

2k
where 0 2k n
n

Similar to the formula

(2k + 1)
where 0 2k+1 n Tn (cos ) = cos(n),
n
From the intermediate value theorem, fn (x) has at least we have the analogous formula
n roots. However, this is impossible, as fn (x) is a polynomial of degree n 1, so the fundamental theorem of
algebra implies it has at most n 1 roots.
T2n+1 (sin ) = (1)n sin((2n + 1))
fn (x) < 0 for x = cos

4.6

For x = 0 ,

Other properties

Tn (x) =
Un (x) =

n
2

(q)

ifn 1,

limq0 1q Cn (x)
1 1

1
2(

n+ 1
2
n

(1)

Pn2 2 (x) = Cn (x).

)
x + x1
xn + xn
=
2
2
(
)
(
)
x + x1
x x1
x + x1
n
x = Tn
+
Un1
2
2
2

The Chebyshev polynomials are a special case of the

ultraspherical or Gegenbauer polynomials, which them- Tn
selves are a special case of the Jacobi polynomials:

which follows from the fact that this holds by denition

for x = ei .
Let

For every nonnegative integer n, Tn(x) and Un(x) are

(x)
both polynomials of degree n. They are even or odd funcC
(x)
=
2T
n
n
tions of x as n is even or odd, so when written as polyno2
mials of x, it only has even or odd degree terms respecThen Cn (x) and Cm (x) are commuting polynomials:
tively. In fact,
(
)
T2n (x) = Tn 2x2 1 = 2Tn (x)2 1

Cn (Cm (x)) = Cm (Cn (x))

and

as is evident in the Abelian nesting property specied

above.

(
)
2xUn 1 2x2 = (1)n U2n+1 (x).

4.7 Generalized Chebyshev polynomials

The leading coecient of Tn is 2n 1 if 1 n, but 1 if 0

= n.

The generalized Chebyshev polynomials Ta are dened

by

Tn are a special case of Lissajous curves with frequency

ratio equal to n.

(
)
1 1
Several polynomial sequences like Lucas polynomials Ta (cos x) = 2 F1 a, a; 2 ; 2 (1 cos x) = cos(ax),
(Ln), Dickson polynomials (Dn), Fibonacci polynomials where a is not necessarily an integer, and F (a, b; c; z)
2 1
(Fn) are related to Chebyshev polynomials Tn and Un.
is the Gaussian hypergeometric function. They have the
The Chebyshev polynomials of the rst kind satisfy the power series expansion
relation

Tj (x)Tk (x) =

1
2

)
Tj+k (x) + T|kj| (x) ,

j, k 0,

Ta (x) = cos

( a )
2

+a

(2x)j
j=1

2j

(
cos

(a j)
2

) ( a+j2 )
2

j1

6 AS A BASIS SET

Examples

1.5

n=5

n=1
n=0

1.0

First kind

0.5

1.0

Un (x)

5.1

n=0

n=4

0.0

n=3

0.5

n=1

Tn (x)

0.5

1.0

n=4

n=2

n=2
1.5

0.0

1.0

n=3

0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

n=5

0.5

1.0
1.0

0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

The rst few Chebyshev polynomials of the rst kind in the domain 1 < x < 1: The at T0 , T1 , T2 , T3 , T4 and T5 .

The rst few Chebyshev polynomials of the second kind in the

domain 1 < x < 1: The at U0 , U1 , U2 , U3 , U4 and U5 .
Although not visible in the image, U (1) = n + 1 and U (1) =
(n + 1)(1)n .

U6 (x) = 64x6 80x4 + 24x2 1

U7 (x) = 128x7 192x5 + 80x3 8x

The rst few Chebyshev polynomials of the rst kind are

U8 (x) = 256x8 448x6 + 240x4 40x2 + 1
A028297
U9 (x) = 512x9 1024x7 + 672x5 160x3 + 10x.
T0 (x) = 1

6 As a basis set

T1 (x) = x
In the appropriate Sobolev space, the set of Chebyshev
polynomials form an orthonormal basis, so that a function
in the same space can, on 1 x 1 be expressed via the
expansion:[4]

T2 (x) = 2x2 1
T3 (x) = 4x3 3x
T4 (x) = 8x4 8x2 + 1
T5 (x) = 16x5 20x3 + 5x
T6 (x) = 32x6 48x4 + 18x2 1

f (x) =

T7 (x) = 64x7 112x5 + 56x3 7x

an Tn (x).

n=0

T8 (x) = 128x8 256x6 + 160x4 32x2 + 1

Furthermore, as mentioned previously, the Chebyshev

polynomials form an orthogonal basis which (among
T9 (x) = 256x 576x + 432x 120x + 9x.
other things) implies that the coecients an can be deterT10 (x) = 512x10 1280x8 +1120x6 400x4 +50x2 1. mined easily through the application of an inner product.
This sum is called a Chebyshev series or a Chebyshev
T11 (x) = 1024x11 2816x9 +2816x7 1232x5 +220x3 11x.
expansion.
9

Since a Chebyshev series is related to a Fourier cosine

series through a change of variables, all of the theorems,
identities, etc. that apply to Fourier series have a ChebyThe rst few Chebyshev polynomials of the second kind
shev counterpart.[4] These attributes include:
are A053117

5.2

Second kind

U0 (x) = 1
U1 (x) = 2x
U2 (x) = 4x2 1
U3 (x) = 8x3 4x
U4 (x) = 16x4 12x2 + 1
U5 (x) = 32x5 32x3 + 6x

The Chebyshev polynomials form a complete orthogonal system.

The Chebyshev series converges to (x) if the function is piecewise smooth and continuous. The
smoothness requirement can be relaxed in most
cases as long as there are a nite number of discontinuities in (x) and its derivatives.
At a discontinuity, the series will converge to the average of the right and left limits.

6.2

Example 2

9
condition. For the inner product,

+1

+1

Tm (x) log(1 + x)
Tm (x)Tn (x)

dx =
an
dx,
2
1x
1 x2
1
n=0

which gives
{
an =

log(2)
(1)n
n

:n=0
: n > 0.

Alternatively, when you cannot evaluate the inner product of the function you are trying to approximate, the discrete orthogonality condition gives an often useful result
for approximate coecients,

an

N 1
2 0n
Tn (xk ) log(1 + xk ),
N
k=0

where ij is the Kronecker delta function and the xk are

the N GaussChebyshev zeros of TN (x)
( (
))
k + 12
xk = cos
.
N

The non-smooth function (top) y = x3 H(x), where H is the

Heaviside step function, and (bottom) the 5th partial sum of its
Chebyshev expansion. The 7th sum is indistinguishable from the
original function at the resolution of the graph.

For any N, these approximate coecients provide an exact approximation to the function at xk with a controlled
error between those points. The exact coecients are
obtained with N = , thus representing the function
exactly at all points in [1, 1] . The rate of convergence
depends on the function and its smoothness.
This allows us to compute the approximate coecients
an very eciently through the discrete cosine transform

The abundance of the theorems and identities inherited

( (
))
N 1
from Fourier series make the Chebyshev polynomials imn k + 12
2 0n
cos
log(1 + xk ).
portant tools in numeric analysis; for example they are the an N
N
k=0
most popular general purpose basis functions used in the
spectral method,[4] often in favor of trigonometric series
due to generally faster convergence for continuous func- 6.2 Example 2
tions (Gibbs phenomenon is still a problem).
To provide another example:

6.1

Example 1

Consider the Chebyshev expansion of log(1 + x) . One

can express

log(1 + x) =

n=0

(
)

1 ( 12 + )
2
12
n
(1 x ) =
+2
(1)
T2n (x)
n
( + 1)
n=0
(
)

2
n 2 + 1
=2
(1)
U2n (x).
n
n=0
2

an Tn (x).

6.3 Partial sums

One can nd the coecients an either through the application of an inner product or by the discrete orthogonality The partial sums of

10

11

REFERENCES

9 See also
f (x) =

Chebyshev lter

an Tn (x)

n=0

are very useful in the approximation of various functions

and in the solution of dierential equations (see spectral
method). Two common methods for determining the coecients an are through the use of the inner product as
in Galerkins method and through the use of collocation
which is related to interpolation.
As an interpolant, the N coecients of the (N 1)th partial sum are usually obtained on the ChebyshevGauss
Lobatto[5] points (or Lobatto grid), which results in minimum error and avoids Runges phenomenon associated
with a uniform grid. This collection of points corresponds
to the extrema of the highest order polynomial in the sum,
plus the endpoints and is given by:
(
xk = cos

6.4

k
N 1

an Tn (x).

n=0

Polynomials in Chebyshev form can be evaluated using

the Clenshaw algorithm.

Spread polynomials

The spread polynomials are in a sense equivalent to the

Chebyshev polynomials of the rst kind, but enable one to
avoid square roots and conventional trigonometric functions in certain contexts, notably in rational trigonometry.

Legendre polynomials
Hermite polynomials
Romanovski polynomials
Chebyshev rational functions
Approximation theory
The Chebfun system
Discrete Chebyshev transform

k = 0, 1, . . . , N 1.

An arbitrary polynomial of degree N can be written in

terms of the Chebyshev polynomials of the rst kind.[6]
Such a polynomial p(x) is of the form

p(x) =

Dickson polynomials

Markov brothers inequality

Polynomial in Chebyshev form

Chebyshev cube root

Shifted Chebyshev polynomials

Shifted Chebyshev polynomials of the rst kind are dened as

Tn (x) = Tn (2x 1).
Note that when the argument of the Chebyshev polynomial is in the range of 2x 1 [1, 1] the argument
of the shifted Chebyshev polynomial is x [0, 1] . Similarly, one can dene shifted polynomials for generic intervals [a, b] .

10 Notes
[1] Chebyshev polynomials were rst presented in: P. L.
Chebyshev (1854) Thorie des mcanismes connus sous
le nom de paralllogrammes, Mmoires des Savants
trangers prsents lAcadmie de Saint-Ptersbourg, vol.
7, pages 539586.
[2] Rivlin, Theodore J. The Chebyshev polynomials. Pure
and Applied Mathematics. Wiley-Interscience [John Wiley & Sons], New York-London-Sydney,1974. Chapter 2,
Extremal Properties, pp. 56-123.
[3] Jeroen Demeyer Diophantine Sets over Polynomial Rings
and Hilberts Tenth Problem for Function Fields, Ph.D.
theses (2007), p.70.
[4] Boyd, John P. (2001). Chebyshev and Fourier Spectral
Methods (PDF) (second ed.). Dover. ISBN 0-486-411834.
[5] Chebyshev Interpolation: An Interactive Tour
[6] For more information on the coecients, see: Mason, J.
C. and Handscomb, D. C. (2002). Chebyshev Polynomials. Taylor & Francis.

11 References
Abramowitz, Milton; Stegun, Irene Ann, eds.
(1983) [June 1964]. Chapter 22. Handbook
of Mathematical Functions with Formulas, Graphs,
and Mathematical Tables. Applied Mathematics Series. 55 (Ninth reprint with additional corrections
of tenth original printing with corrections (December 1972); rst ed.). Washington D.C., USA; New
York, USA: United States Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards; Dover Publications. p. 773. ISBN 0-486-61272-4. LCCN

11
64-60036. MR 0167642. ISBN 978-0-486-612720. LCCN 65-12253.
Dette, Holger (1995). A Note on Some Peculiar Nonlinear Extremal Phenomena of the Chebyshev Polynomials.
Proceedings of the Edinburgh Mathematical Society. 38 (2): 343355.
doi:10.1017/S001309150001912X.
Elliott, David (1964). The evaluation and estimation of the coecients in the Chebyshev Series expansion of a function. Math. Comp. 18
(86): 274284. doi:10.1090/S0025-5718-19640166903-7. MR 0166903.
Eremenko, A.; Lempert, L. (1994). An Extremal
Problem For Polynomials]" (PDF). Proceedings of
the American Mathematical Society. 122 (1): 191
193. doi:10.1090/S0002-9939-1994-1207536-1.
MR 1207536.
Hernandez, M. A. (2001). Chebyshevs approximation algorithms and applications. Comp. Math.
Applic. 41: 433445.
Mason, J. C. (1984). Some properties and applications of Chebyshev polynomial and rational approximation. Lect. Not. Math. 1105: 2748.
doi:10.1007/BFb0072398.
Mason, J. C.; Handscomb, D. C. (2002). Chebyshev
Polynomials. Taylor & Francis.
Mathar, R. J. (2006). Chebyshev series expansion
of inverse polynomials. J. Comput. Appl. Math.
196: 596607. doi:10.1016/j.cam.2005.10.013.
Koornwinder, Tom H.; Wong, Roderick S. C.;
Koekoek, Roelof; Swarttouw, Ren F. (2010),
Orthogonal Polynomials, in Olver, Frank W. J.;
Lozier, Daniel M.; Boisvert, Ronald F.; Clark,
Charles W., NIST Handbook of Mathematical Functions, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 9780521192255, MR 2723248
Remes, Eugene. On an Extremal Property of
Chebyshev Polynomials (PDF).
Salzer, Herbert E. (1976). Converting interpolation series into Chebyshev Series by Recurrence
Formulas. Math. Comp. 30 (134): 295
302. doi:10.1090/S0025-5718-1976-0395159-3.
MR 0395159.
Scraton, R. E. (1969). The Solution of integral
equations in Chebyshev series. Math. Comput. 23
(108): 837844. doi:10.1090/S0025-5718-19690260224-4. MR 0260224.
Smith, Lyle B. (1966). Algorithm 277, Computation of Chebyshev series coecients. Comm.
ACM. 9 (2): 8687. doi:10.1145/365170.365195.

Suetin, P. K. (2001), C/c021940, in Hazewinkel,

Michiel, Encyclopedia of Mathematics, Springer,
ISBN 978-1-55608-010-4

12 External links
Weisstein, Eric W. Chebyshev Polynomial of the
First Kind. MathWorld.
Module for Chebyshev Polynomials by John H.
Mathews
Chebyshev Interpolation: An Interactive Tour, includes illustrative Java applet.
Numerical Computing with Functions: The Chebfun Project
Is there an intuitive explanation for an extremal
property of Chebyshev polynomials?

12

13

13
13.1

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