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Legendre Polynomials: Rodriques’ Formula and Recursion Relations

Jackson says “By manipulation of the power series solutions it is possible to obtain a compact
representation of the Legendre polynomials known as Rodrigues’ formula.” Here is a proof
that Rodrigues’ formula indeed produces a solution to Legendre’s differential equation. From
P j
the differential equation, assuming a series solution Pn = aj x (α = 0) we obtained the
relation
j(j + 1) n(n + 1)
aj+2 = aj
(j + 1)(j + 2)
[JDJ (3.14), with α = 0]. With j = n 2k, this is satisfied by
(2n 2k)!
an−2k = ( 1)k n ,
2 k! (n k)! (n 2k)!
where 1/2n is conventional. So, we can write

X
[n/2]
(2n 2k)!
Pn (x) = ( 1)k n xn−2k ,
2 k! (n k)! (n 2k)!
k=0

where [n/2] denotes the “greatest integer” or the integer part. For integer n 2k, this is

X
[n/2]
( 1)k  d n 1  d n X n!
n
2n−2k
Pn (x) = n x = n ( 1)k (x2 )n−k ,
2 k!(n k)! dx 2 n! dx k! (n k)!
k=0 k=0

where the extra terms introduced by extending the upper limit of the sum from [n/2] to n
have zero derivative. By the binomial theorem, this expression is
1  d n 2
Pn (x) = n (x 1)n . (3.16)
2 n! dx

Jackson next says, “From Rodrigues’ formula it is a straightforward matter” to obtain re-
cursion relations for the Pn . To this end, first prove some relations that are useful in many
applications. Let D = d/dx. Then, for any function f (x),
Dl (xf ) = x (Dl f ) + l (Dl−1f ).
This can be proved by induction: it clearly holds for l = 0, for which it reads xf = xf , and
for l = 1 by the product rule for derivatives, D (xf ) = x(D f ) + f (D x). Suppose it holds for
l 1; then

Dl (xf ) = D[Dl−1(xf )] = D[x(Dl−1f + (l 1)Dl−2f ]


= [x(D l f ) + D l−1 f ] + (l 1)D l−1f = x(D l f ) + l(D l−1 f ).
2
Apply for g(x) = xf (x):
Dl (x2f ) = Dl (x  f x) = xDl (f x) + lDl−1(f x)
= x[x(D l f ) + lD l−1 f ] + l [xD l−1 f + (l 1)D l−2f ]
= x2 (D l f ) + 2lx (D l−1 f ) + l(l 1) (D l−2f ).
This procedure iterated leads to the general and perhaps well known result
X
n
n!
Dn(f g) = k! (n k)!
(D k f )(D n−k g),
k=0
and so in particular
Dl [(x2 1)f ] = (x2 1) (D l f ) + 2lx (D l−1 f ) + l(l 1) (D l−2 f ). ()

Now, use () to prove the middle of Jackson’s (3.29). Apply D to Rodrigues’ formula for
Pl+1 , first commuting D l as above and then applying the product rule for derivatives a
number of times:
   
1 1 l 1
DPl+1 = D 2l+1(l + 1)! D (x 1) = 2(l + 1) D D 2l l! (x 1)(x 1)
l+1 2 l+1 2 2 2 l

1 1 2h 2 i
=
2(l + 1) 2l l!
D (x 1)D (x 1) + 2lx D (x 1) + l(l 1)D (x 1)
l 2 l l−1 2 l l−2 2 l

1 h i
=
2(l + 1)
D((x 1)DPl ) + (2Pl + 2x DPl ) + (2lx DPl + 4l Pl ) + l(l 1) Pl .
2

From Legendre’s equation, the first term is l(l + 1) Pl . Gathering terms in x D Pl and Pl ,
h i
DPl+1 = 2(l 1+ 1) 2(l + 1)2Pl + 2(l + 1)x DPl .
or, finally, the desired result,
DPl+1 = (l + 1)Pl + x DPl . (3.29b)
It seems likely that there is an easier way to get here, but this works.

Here is another one:


h 1 i 1 1 lh 2 2 i
DPl+1 = D 2l+1(l + 1)! D (x 1) = 2(l + 1) 2l l! D D (x 1)
l+1 2 l+1 l+1

1 1 lh i
=
2(l + 1) 2l l!
D 4l(l + 1)x (x 1) + 2(l + 1)(x 1)
2 2 l−1 2 l

1 h i
= l D l 2l(x2 1 + 1)(x2 1)l−1 + (x2 1)l
2 l!
1 lh i
= l D 2l(x 2
1) l−1
+ (2l + 1)(x2
1) = D Pl−1 + (2l + 1)Pl .
l
2 l!
From beginning to end, this says
DPl+1 DPl−1 = (2l + 1)Pl . (3.28)

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