Given a set of intervals, find the interval which has the maximum number of intersections

Question

Given a set of intervals, find the interval which has the maximum number of intersections (not the length of a particular intersection). So if input (1,6) (2,3) (4,11), (1,6

Answer 1

Don't use an interval tree. Create an event for each interval endpoint, so that each interval has a start event and a stop event. Process these events in order. (Order starts before stops if a measure-zero intersection counts as an intersection, or stops before starts otherwise.)

Initialize a map C from intervals to numbers. Initialize the start count s = 0 and the stop count t = 0. To process a start event for interval i, set s = s + 1 and then C(i) = -(t + 1). To process a stop event for interval i, set t = t + 1 and then C(i) = C(i) + s.

At the end, C maps intervals to their intersection counts. This algorithm is O(n log n) because of the sorting; that running time is optimal if the endpoints can be added and compared only, by fairly standard computational geometry techniques.