Excel - Linear interpolation function

Linear interpolation (interpolating within a 1-dimensional table) can be done with regular MS Excel functions. But it will become a pretty long formula, that is hard to read and/or copy across. You can also implement a user defined function (UDF) interpolateX. The VBA code of this function is found at the end of this page. This function works both for ascending and descending header data, and both for horizontally or vertically organized data. (If you want to interpolate both X and Y values within a 2-dimensional table, then see Bilinear interpolation. If you want to create a curve that goes exactly through all your data points in order to interpolate, then see splines interpolation.)

Download demo file (37kB - downloaded 670 times).

New in Excel: LAMBDA functionality. LAMBDA functions are user defined functions created directly within Excel. They execute faster than UDF. If you have an Excel version that supports LAMBDA: the LAMDA function L_InterpolateX is found below as well.

Calculation explanation of above example

Visualisation of data table

Calculation

X = 470 lies between X = 400 and X = 500. X-fraction = (470 - 400)/(500 - 400) = 0.70

The 2 data point values to interpolate between are:
     1. (400) = 100
     2. (500) = 150

Interpolation:
     100 + 0.70 × (150 - 100) = 135.00 which is the final result.

VBA code to be put in a module

In MS Excel, press Alt+F11 to open the Visual Basic Editor (Windows). Via top menu: Insert → Module. Copy the code below into the module.

Public Function InterpolateX(ByRef SearchValue As Range, ByRef SearchRange As Range, ByRef ValueRange As Range) As Double
    
    Dim V1 As Double, V2 As Double, S1 As Double, S2 As Double, FR As Double
    
    'if SearchValue falls outside the table, the function result is an error value
    If (SearchValue < WorksheetFunction.Min(SearchRange)) Or (SearchValue > WorksheetFunction.Max(SearchRange)) Then
        InterpolateX = (1 / 0)
        Exit Function
    End If
    
    'Determine data table points around searchvalue
    S1 = WorksheetFunction.XLookup(SearchValue, SearchRange, SearchRange, , -1)
    S2 = WorksheetFunction.XLookup(SearchValue, SearchRange, SearchRange, , 1)
    V1 = WorksheetFunction.XLookup(SearchValue, SearchRange, ValueRange, , -1)
    If S1 = S2 Then
        InterpolateX = V1
        Exit Function
    End If
    V2 = WorksheetFunction.XLookup(SearchValue, SearchRange, ValueRange, , 1)
    
    'calculate fraction
    FR = (SearchValue - S1) / (S2 - S1)
    
    'final result after interpolation
    InterpolateX = V1 + FR * (V2 - V1)
    
End Function

Excel - Linear interpolation function

Calculation explanation of above example

VBA code to be put in a module

LAMBDA function L_InterpolateX to be put in Name Manager