Special Functions and Orthogonal Polynomials

This book is written to provide an easy to follow study on the subject of Special Functions and Orthogonal Polynomials. It is written in such a way that it can be used as a self study text. Basic knowledge of calculus and differential equations is needed. The book is intended to help students in engineering, physics and applied sciences understand various aspects of Special Functions and Orthogonal Polynomials that very often occur in engineering, physics, mathematics and applied sciences. The book is organized in chapters that are in a sense self contained. Chapter 1 deals with series solutions of Differential Equations. Gamma and Beta functions are studied in Chapter 2 together with other functions that are defined by integrals. Legendre Polynomials and Functions are studied in Chapter 3. Chapters 4 and 5 deal with Hermite, Laguerre and other Orthogonal Polynomials. A detailed treatise of Bessel Function is given in Chapter 6.

Dr. Refaat El Attar is a Professor of Engineering Mathematics at the College of Engineering, Alexandria University, Egypt. He hold a PhD from Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (1978). He is currently the Chairman of the Department of Engineering Mathematics and Physics at Alexandria College of Engineering (2004- ). He published several papers and articles in the field of optimization, optimal control and Engineering Mathematics.