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Lagrange Interpolation

Lagrange interpolation is a polynomial interpolation technique where polynomials are constructed to pass through known data points. The Lagrange interpolating polynomial of degree n is defined such that it passes through n+1 data points and can be written as the sum of n+1 terms, where each term contains a factor that is zero at all points except one. This ensures the polynomial takes on the function value at each individual data point. The Lagrange interpolation formula provides a unique polynomial of minimal degree to interpolate a set of data points.

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325 views

Lagrange Interpolation

Lagrange interpolation is a polynomial interpolation technique where polynomials are constructed to pass through known data points. The Lagrange interpolating polynomial of degree n is defined such that it passes through n+1 data points and can be written as the sum of n+1 terms, where each term contains a factor that is zero at all points except one. This ensures the polynomial takes on the function value at each individual data point. The Lagrange interpolation formula provides a unique polynomial of minimal degree to interpolate a set of data points.

Uploaded by

Luqman Akram
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Lagrange interpolation

History:
Joseph louis Lagrange (1736- 1813) from “A short account of the history of
mathematics” (4th edition, 1908) by w.w Rouse Ball. Joseph Louis Lagrange, the
greatest mathematics of the eighteenth century, was born at Turin on January 25,
1736, and died at Paris on April 10, 1813.

Introduction:

Interpolation is an estimation of a value within two known values in a sequence of


values. Polynomial interpolation is a method of estimating values between known data points.
When graphical data contains a gap, but data is available on either side of the gap or at a few
specific points within the gap, interpolation allows us to estimate the values within the gap.

Lagrange interpolation:

The problem of determining a polynomial of degree one that passes through the distinct points (x0,
y0) and (x1, y1) is the same as approximating a function f for which f (x0) = y0 and f (x1) = y1 by
means of a first-degree polynomial interpolating, or agreeing with, the values of at the given points.
Using this polynomial for approximation within the interval given by the endpoints is called
polynomial interpolation.
Define the functions.

The linear Lagrange interpolating polynomial through (x0, y0) and (x1, y1) is

Note that
L0(x0) = 1, L0(x1) = 0, L1(x0) = 0, and L1(x1) = 1,
which implies that
P(x0) = 1 · f (x0) + 0 · f (x1) = f (x0) = y0 and P(x1) = 0 · f (x0) + 1 · f (x1) = f (x1) = y1.
So P is the unique polynomial of degree at most one that passes through (x0, y0) and (x1, y1).
Example:
Determine the linear Lagrange interpolating polynomial that passes through the points(2, 4) and (5, 1).
Solution In this case we have

So

The graph of y = P(x) is shown in Figure 3.3.

To generalize the concept of linear interpolation, consider the construction of a polynomial of


degree at most n that passes through the n + 1 points
(x0, f (x0)), (x1, f (x1)), ... ,(xn, f (xn)).
In this case we first construct, for each k = 0, 1, ... , n, a function Ln,k (x) with the property that
Ln,k (xi) = 0 when i = k and Ln,k (xk ) = 1. To satisfy Ln,k (xi) = 0 for each i = k requires that the
numerator of Ln,k (x) contain the term
(x − x0)(x − x1)···(x − xk−1)(x − xk+1)···(x − xn).
To satisfy Ln,k (xk ) = 1, the denominator of Ln,k (x) must be this same term but evaluated at x = xk .
Thus

A sketch of the graph of a typical Ln,k (when n is even) is shown in Figure 3.5.

The interpolating polynomial is easily described once the form of Ln,k is known. This polynomial,
called the nth Lagrange interpolating polynomial, is defined in the following theorem.
Theorem 3.2
If x0, x1, ... , xn are n + 1 distinct numbers and f is a function whose values are given at these
numbers, then a unique polynomial P(x) of degree at most n exists with
f (xk ) = P(xk ), for each k = 0, 1, ... , n.
This polynomial is given by
where, for each k = 0, 1, ... , n,

We will write Ln,k (x) simply as Lk (x) when there is no confusion as to its degree.
Advantages:

 The formula is simple and easy to remember.


 There is no need to construct the divided difference table.
 The application of the formula is not speedy.

Disadvantages:

 There is always a chance to committing some error.


 The calculation provide no check whether the functional values used the taken correctly or not
.

Conclusion:

Lagrange has a better performance at the boundaries which makes it more convenient for real time
applications.

Reference:

 Numerical_Analysis_9th
 https://www.slideshare.net/ayushraj116/lagrange-interpolation

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