PHGN311 Homework #12
Due Monday, Nov. 25, 2013 by 5:00pm in my mailbox or at my office
This is one problem on the Frobenius method in Chapter 12 section 11, and one problem
on Legendre polynomials which is covered in Chapter 12 sections 2-10. Neither should
be too hard.
1. Boas 12.11.3 (This isn’t that hard. Assume a generalized power series solution.
Substitute it into the differential equation. Group the terms that involve the same
power of x. The prefactors of each of those terms must be zero if it’s a homogeneous
ODE. We always assume the first prefactor, C0, is not equal to zero. The term
involving the lowest power of x should then give you the indicial equation. Solving it
should give you values for “s.” Looking at each higher order term in x and realizing
the prefactors must be zero should then give you C1, C2, etc.)
2. Boas 12.2.1