Abstract
The generalization of Rodrigues' formula for orthogonal matrix polynomials has attracted the attention of many researchers. This generalization provides new integral and differential representations in addition to new mathematical results that are useful in theoretical and numerical computations. Using a recently studied operational matrix for shifted Legendre polynomials with the variable coefficients fractional differential equations, the present work introduces the shifted Legendre-type matrix polynomials of arbitrary (fractional) orders utilizing some Rodrigues matrix formulas. Many interesting mathematical properties of these matrix polynomials are investigated and reported in this paper, including recurrence relations, differential properties, hypergeometric function representation, and integral representation. Furthermore, the orthogonality property of these polynomials is examined in some particular cases. The developed results provide a matrix framework that generalizes and enhances the corresponding scalar version and introduces some new properties with proposed applications. Some of these applications are explored in the present work.