Download or read book An Introduction to Orthogonal Polynomials written by Theodore S Chihara and published by Courier Corporation. This book was released on 2014-07-01 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Assuming no further prerequisites than a first undergraduate course in real analysis, this concise introduction covers general elementary theory related to orthogonal polynomials. It includes necessary background material of the type not usually found in the standard mathematics curriculum. Suitable for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses, it is also appropriate for independent study. Topics include the representation theorem and distribution functions, continued fractions and chain sequences, the recurrence formula and properties of orthogonal polynomials, special functions, and some specific systems of orthogonal polynomials. Numerous examples and exercises, an extensive bibliography, and a table of recurrence formulas supplement the text.