Proving a Legendre function using generating function: $\int_{-1}^1 (1-2xt+t^2)^{-1/2}P_n(x)dx=\frac{2t^n}{2n+1}$

204 Views Asked by At

I must prove that $\int_{-1}^1 (1-2xt+t^2)^{-1/2}P_n(x)dx=\frac{2t^n}{2n+1}$.

I know that the generating function is $(1-2xt+t^2)^{-1/2}=\sum_{n=0}^\infty P_n(x)t^n$. I also know that the orthogonality property when l=m gives $\frac{2}{2n+1}$.

I get to where I have $\sum_{n=0}^\infty t^n(\frac{2}{2n+1})$.

Any ideas on how to get the correct answer or where I may be going wrong?

1

There are 1 best solutions below

1
On BEST ANSWER

$\newcommand{\angles}[1]{\left\langle\,{#1}\,\right\rangle} \newcommand{\braces}[1]{\left\lbrace\,{#1}\,\right\rbrace} \newcommand{\bracks}[1]{\left\lbrack\,{#1}\,\right\rbrack} \newcommand{\dd}{\mathrm{d}} \newcommand{\ds}[1]{\displaystyle{#1}} \newcommand{\expo}[1]{\,\mathrm{e}^{#1}\,} \newcommand{\half}{{1 \over 2}} \newcommand{\ic}{\mathrm{i}} \newcommand{\iff}{\Longleftrightarrow} \newcommand{\imp}{\Longrightarrow} \newcommand{\Li}[1]{\,\mathrm{Li}_{#1}} \newcommand{\ol}[1]{\overline{#1}} \newcommand{\pars}[1]{\left(\,{#1}\,\right)} \newcommand{\partiald}[3][]{\frac{\partial^{#1} #2}{\partial #3^{#1}}} \newcommand{\ul}[1]{\underline{#1}} \newcommand{\root}[2][]{\,\sqrt[#1]{\,{#2}\,}\,} \newcommand{\totald}[3][]{\frac{\mathrm{d}^{#1} #2}{\mathrm{d} #3^{#1}}} \newcommand{\verts}[1]{\left\vert\,{#1}\,\right\vert}$

You are calculating for 'a given' $\ds{\,\mathrm{P}_{n}\pars{x}}$ $\ds{~\pars{\mbox{namely, for 'a given'}\ n}~}$. You must use another index for the generating function $\ds{~\pars{n\ \mbox{is a constant}}~}$ such as $\ds{m}$ which I'll use below !!!.

\begin{align} &\color{#f00}{% \int_{-1}^{1}\pars{1 - 2xt + t^{2}}^{-1/2}\,\,\,\mathrm{P}_{n}\pars{x}\,\dd x} = \int_{-1}^{1}\overbrace{% \bracks{\sum_{m = 0}^{\infty}t^{m}\,\mathrm{P}_{m}\pars{x}}} ^{\ds{\pars{1 - 2xt + t^{2}}^{-1/2}}} \,\mathrm{P}_{n}\pars{x}\,\dd x \\[5mm] = &\ \sum_{m = 0}^{\infty}t^{m}\ \underbrace{% \int_{-1}^{1}\,\mathrm{P}_{m}\pars{x}\,\mathrm{P}_{n}\pars{x}\,\dd x} _{\ds{2\,\delta_{mn} \over 2n + 1}}\ =\ \color{#f00}{{2\,t^{n} \over 2n + 1}} \end{align}