For a normalized equation
is an ordinary point when are analytic there. It is a regular singular point when and are analytic there. These are the ordinary point criterion for a second-order equation and regular singular point criterion for a second-order equation.
Here
so is regular singular. Seek a power-series solution of a differential equation
Equating the coefficient of gives
and hence
Therefore
The series terminates exactly when is a nonnegative integer: the factor with then makes . Thus the polynomial solutions occur for
For
a finite point is an ordinary point exactly when and are holomorphic there. It is a regular singular point exactly when
are holomorphic at .
Put and . Direct differentiation gives
so the transformed equation is
Consequently is ordinary precisely when
are holomorphic at . It is a regular singular point at infinity precisely when and are holomorphic functions of near infinity.
If zero and infinity are regular singular and every nonzero finite point is ordinary, the Laurent series of and can contain only the terms compatible with both endpoint bounds. Hence
for constants . The equation is a Cauchy-Euler differential equation. Its indicial equation is
For distinct roots , the general solution on a domain with a chosen logarithm branch is
For a repeated root , the general solution of an Euler-Cauchy equation is
Finally require infinity to be ordinary. In the transformed equation its coefficients become
Both are holomorphic at zero exactly when and . Thus the further restriction is