The classical four-stage explicit Runge-Kutta method uses
It satisfies the fourth-order conditions for a Runge-Kutta method. Its polynomial stability function excludes A-stability, while gives the imaginary-axis stability interval .
The nodes have Lagrange interpolation polynomials
The coefficients obtained from and reproduce the given Butcher tableau. In particular, the second row's last entry is , which is missing from the TeX transcription. Thus this is the three-stage Lobatto IIIA method.
One applicable collocation theorem is that -stage Lobatto IIIA collocation has order . Alternatively, the fourth-order conditions for a Runge-Kutta method give a direct verification. With , and , the eight required Butcher order conditions are
Powers of here are componentwise. Substitution satisfies all eight. The stability function computed from the stages is
Its expansion satisfies , so even the scalar linear problem fails the fifth-order condition. Hence
The Butcher order condition theorem equates order with all conditions for rooted trees through order ; the displayed conditions are its complete specialization through order four.