Legendre Polynomials are a sequence of orthogonal polynomials that arise in solving problems in physics and engineering, particularly in the context of potential theory and quantum mechanics. They are denoted as , where is a non-negative integer, and the polynomials are defined on the interval . The Legendre polynomials can be generated using the following recursive relation:
These polynomials have several important properties, including orthogonality:
Additionally, they satisfy the Legendre differential equation:
Legendre polynomials are widely used in applications such as solving Laplace's equation in spherical coordinates, performing numerical integration (Gauss-Legendre quadrature), and
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