In mathematics, a Lidstone series, named after George James Lidstone, is a kind of polynomial expansion that can express certain types of entire functions.
Let ƒ(z) be an entire function of exponential type less than (N + 1)ÃÂ, as defined below. Then ƒ(z) can be expanded in terms of polynomials A<sub>n</sub> as follows:
Here A<sub>n</sub>(z) is a polynomial in z of degree n, C<sub>k</sub> a constant, and ƒ<sup>(n)</sup>(a) the nth derivative of ƒ at a.
A function is said to be of exponential type of less than t if the function
is bounded above by t. Thus, the constant N used in the summation above is given by
with