This computer visualization activity is designed to help upper division undergraduate students visualize the approximation of functions with Legendre polynomials.

Students use a Maple Worksheet or a Mathematica Notebook to compute Legendre coefficients, practice approximating a function by adding orthogonal functions, and inspect the region over which the Legendre functions are orthogonal.

The entire class wrap-up discussion relates the Legendre polynomial approach in approximating functions to other approaches covered in previous courses (i.e. using Fourier series or power series).