Expected number of real zeros for random linear combinations of orthogonal polynomials

Abstract

We study the expected number of real zeros for random linear combinations of orthogonal polynomials. It is well known that Kac polynomials, spanned by monomials with i.i.d. Gaussian coefficients, have only $(2/\pi + o(1))\log{n}$ expected real zeros in terms of the degree $n$. On the other hand, if the basis is given by Legendre (or more generally by Jacobi) polynomials, then random linear combinations have $n/\sqrt{3} + o(n)$ expected real zeros. We prove that the latter asymptotic relation holds universally for a large class of random orthogonal polynomials on the real line, and also give more general local results on the expected number of real zeros.