In mathematics, Ferrers functions are certain special functions defined in terms of hypergeometric functions.^[1][2] They are named after Norman Macleod Ferrers.^[3]

Define ${\displaystyle \mu }$ the order, and the ${\displaystyle \nu }$ degree are real, and assume ${\displaystyle x\in (-1,+1)}$.

Ferrers function of the first kind

${\displaystyle P_{v}^{\mu }(x)=\left({\frac {1+x}{1-x}}\right)^{\mu /2}\cdot {\frac {{}_{2}F_{1}(v+1,-v;1-\mu ;1/2-x/2)}{\Gamma (1-\mu )}}}$

Ferrers function of the second kind

${\displaystyle Q_{v}^{\mu }(x)={\frac {\pi }{2\sin(\mu \pi )}}\left(\cos(\mu \pi )\left({\frac {1+x}{1-x}}\right)^{\frac {\mu }{2}}\,{\frac {{}_{2}F_{1}\left(v+1,-v;1-\mu ;{\frac {1-x}{2}}\right)}{\Gamma (1-\mu )}}-{\frac {\Gamma (\nu +\mu +1)}{\Gamma (\nu -\mu +1)}}\left({\frac {1-x}{1+x}}\right)^{\frac {\mu }{2}}\,{\frac {{}_{2}F_{1}\left(v+1,-v;1+\mu ;{\frac {1-x}{2}}\right)}{\Gamma (1+\mu )}}\right)}$

• Legendre function