Consider Legendre's equation
(1−x2)y′′−2xy′+λy=0.
Show that if λ=n(n+1), with n a non-negative integer, this equation has a solution y=Pn(x), a polynomial of degree n. Find P0,P1 and P2 explicitly, subject to the condition Pn(1)=1.
The general solution of Laplace's equation ∇2ψ=0 in spherical polar coordinates, in the axisymmetric case, has the form
ψ(r,θ)=n=0∑∞(Anrn+Bnr−(n+1))Pn(cosθ)
Hence, find the solution of Laplace's equation in the region a⩽r⩽b satisfying the boundary conditions
{ψ(r,θ)=1,ψ(r,θ)=3cos2θ,r=ar=b