10/14/2021

Lagrangian Interpolation

Son Dao, PhD © 1

Lagrangian Interpolation
Lagrangian interpolating polynomial is given by
n
f n ( x)   Li ( x ) f ( xi )
i 0

where ‘ n ’ in f n (x ) stands for the n th order polynomial that approximates the function y  f (x)

given at (n  1) data points as  x 0 , y 0 , x1 , y1 ,......,  x n 1 , y n 1 ,  x n , y n  , and

n x  xj
Li ( x)  
j 0 xi  x j
j i

Li (x ) is a weighting function that includes a product of (n  1) terms with terms of j  i

omitted.

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Example
The upward velocity of a rocket is given as a function of
time in Table 1. Find the velocity at t=16 seconds using
the Lagrangian method for linear interpolation.
Table Velocity as a
function of time
t (s) v(t ) (m/s)
0 0
10 227.04
15 362.78
20 517.35
22.5 602.97
30 901.67

Figure. Velocity vs. time data

5 for the rocket example

Linear Interpolation
550
517.35

1
v(t )   Li (t )v (ti ) 500
i 0
ys
 L0 (t )v(t 0 )  L1 (t )v (t1 ) f ( range)
450

f x desired 

t 0  15, t 0   362.78 400

t1  20, t1   517.35 362.78 350

10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
x s 10 x s  range x desired x s  10
0 1

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Linear Interpolation (contd)

1 t tj t  t1
L0 (t )   
j 0 t0  t j t 0  t1
j 0

1 t tj t  t0
L1 (t )   
j 0 t1  t j t1  t 0
j 1

t  t1 t  t0 t  20 t  15
v (t )  v(t 0 )  v(t1 )  (362.78)  (517.35)
t 0  t1 t1  t 0 15  20 20  15
16  20 16  15
v(16)  (362.78)  (517.35)
15  20 20  15
 0.8(362.78)  0.2(517.35)

 393.7 m/s.

Quadratic Interpolation
For the second order polynomial interpolation (also called quadratic interpolation), we
choose the velocity given by
2
v (t )   Li ( t ) v(t i )
i 0

 L0 (t )v (t 0 )  L1 (t ) v( t1 )  L2 (t ) v( t 2 )

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Example
The upward velocity of a rocket is given as a function of
time in Table 1. Find the velocity at t=16 seconds using
the Lagrangian method for quadratic interpolation.
Table Velocity as a
function of time
t (s) v(t ) (m/s)
0 0
10 227.04
15 362.78
20 517.35
22.5 602.97
30 901.67

Figure. Velocity vs. time data

9 for the rocket example

Quadratic Interpolation (contd)

t 0  10, v(t 0 )  227.04
550
517.35

t1  15, v(t1 )  362.78

500

t 2  20, v(t 2 )  517.35 450

ys
400
f ( range)
2 t tj  t  t1  t  t 2 
L0 (t )       
f x desired  350
j 0 t0  t j  t 0  t 1  t 0  t 2 
j 0
300
2 t t j  t t0  t  t 2 
L1 (t )      
j 0 t1  t j  t1  t 0  t1  t2  250
j 1

2 t tj  t  t 0  t  t1  227.04 200

L2 (t )       10 12 14 16 18 20

t2  t j  t 2  t 0  t 2  t 1 
10 x s  range x desired 20
j 0
j 2

10

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Quadratic Interpolation (contd)

 t  t1  t  t2   t  t0  t  t2   t  t0  t  t1 
vt     vt0     vt1     vt2 
 t0  t1  t0  t2   t1  t0  t1  t2   t2  t0  t2  t1 
 16 15 16 20   1610  16 20   1610  1615 
v16    227.04    362.78    517.35
 10  15  10  20   15  10  15  20   2010 2015
  0.08227.04  0.96362.78  0.12527.35
 392.19 m/s
The absolute relative approximate error a obtained between the
results from the first and second order polynomial is

392.19  393.70
a  100
392.19
 0.38410%
11

Cubic Interpolation
For the third order polynomial (also called cubic interpolation), we choose the velocity given by
3
v (t )   Li ( t ) v(t i )
i 0

 L0 (t ) v( t 0 )  L1 ( t ) v(t 1 )  L2 ( t ) v(t 2 )  L3 ( t ) v(t 3 )

700
602.97

600

ys 500

f ( range)


f x desired 
400

300

227.04 200
10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
10 x s  range x desired 22.5

12

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Example
The upward velocity of a rocket is given as a function of
time in Table 1. Find the velocity at t=16 seconds using
the Lagrangian method for cubic interpolation.
Table Velocity as a
function of time
t (s) v(t ) (m/s)
0 0
10 227.04
15 362.78
20 517.35
22.5 602.97
30 901.67

Figure. Velocity vs. time data

13 for the rocket example

Cubic Interpolation (contd)

t o  10, v to   227.04 t1  15, v t1   362.78

t 2  20, v t 2   517.35 t3  22.5, v t 3   602.97

700
3 t tj  t  t1  t  t 2  t  t 3  602.97

L0 (t )        ;
j 0 t0  t j  t 0  t 1  t 0  t 2  t0  t 3  600
j 0

3 t t j  t  t0  t  t 2  t  t3 
L1 (t )  
ys
     500

j 0 t1  t j  t1  t 0  t1  t 2  t1  t 3  f ( range)

j 1 
f x desired 
400

3 ttj  t  t 0  t  t1  t  t 3 
L2 (t )        ;
t2  t j  t 2  t 0  t 2  t 1  t 2  t 3 
300
j 0
j2

ttj  t  t 0  t  t1  t  t2 
227.04 200
3
L3 ( t )  
10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
     10 x s  range  x desired 22.5

j 0 t3  t j  t3  t 0  t3  t1  t3  t2 
j 3

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Cubic Interpolation (contd)

 t  t1  t  t2  t  t3   t  t0  t  t 2  t  t3 
vt      vt1      vt 2 
 t0  t1  t0  t 2  t0  t3   t1  t0  t1  t 2  t1  t3 
 t  t 0  t  t1  t  t3   t  t1  t  t1  t  t 2 
    vt2      vt3 
 t 2  t0  t 2  t1  t 2  t3   t3  t1  t3  t1  t3  t 2 
 16  15  16  20  16  22.5   16  10  16  20  16  22.5 
v16     227.04     362.78
 10  15  10  20  10  22.5   15  10  15  20  15  22.5 
 16  10  16  15  16  22.5   16  10  16  15  16  20 
   517.35     602.97 
 20  10  20  15  20  22.5   22.5  10  22.5  15  22.5  20 
  0.0416 227.04  0.832 362.78  0.312517.35   0.1024 602.97 
 392.06 m/s
The absolute relative approximate error a obtained between the
results from the first and second order polynomial is
392.06  392.19
a  100
392.06
 0.033269%
15

Comparison Table

Order of
1 2 3
Polynomial
v(t=16) m/s 393.69 392.19 392.06
Absolute Relative
-------- 0.38410% 0.033269%
Approximate Error

16

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Distance from Velocity Profile

Find the distance covered by the rocket from t=11s to
t=16s ?
v(t )  (t 3  57.5t 2  1087.5t  6750)(0.36326)  (t 3  52.5t 2  875t  4500)(1.9348)
 (t 3  47.5t 2  712.5t  3375)(4.1388)  (t 3  45t 2  650t  3000)(2.5727)
v (t )  4.245  21.265t  0.13195t 2  0.00544t 3 , 10  t  22.5
16

s(16)  s (11)   v( t) dt
11

16

  ( 4.245  21.265t  0.13195t 2  0.00544t 3 ) dt

11

t2 t3 t4
 [ 4.245t  21.265  0.13195  0.00544 ]16
11
2 3 4

 1605 m
17

Acceleration from Velocity Profile

Find the acceleration of the rocket at t=16s given that

v(t )  4.245  21.265t  0.13195t 2  0.00544t 3 , 10  t  22.5

v t    4.245  21.265t  0.13195t 2  0.00544t 3 

d d
a t  
,

dt dt

 21.265  0.26390t  0.01632t 2

a (16)  21. 265  0.26390(16)  0.01632(16) 2

 29.665 m / s 2

18

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THANK YOU!