  Conditions are given for the second-order linear differential equation P3 y"
+ P2 y'- P1 y = 0 to have polynomial solutions, where Pn is a polynomial of
degree n. Several application of these results to Schroedinger's equation are
discussed. Conditions under which the confluent, biconfluent, and the general
Heun equation yield polynomial solutions are explicitly given. Some new classes
of exactly solvable differential equation are also discussed. The results of
this work are expressed in such way as to allow direct use, without preliminary
analysis.
