algorithmlanguage-agnostic

Algorithm to calculate number of intersecting discs


Given an array A of N integers we draw N discs in a 2D plane, such that i-th disc has center in (0,i) and a radius A[i]. We say that k-th disc and j-th disc intersect, if k-th and j-th discs have at least one common point.

Write a function

int number_of_disc_intersections(int[] A);

which given an array A describing N discs as explained above, returns the number of pairs of intersecting discs. For example, given N=6 and

A[0] = 1
A[1] = 5
A[2] = 2
A[3] = 1
A[4] = 4
A[5] = 0

there are 11 pairs of intersecting discs:

0th and 1st
0th and 2nd
0th and 4th
1st and 2nd
1st and 3rd
1st and 4th
1st and 5th
2nd and 3rd
2nd and 4th
3rd and 4th
4th and 5th

so the function should return 11. The function should return -1 if the number of intersecting pairs exceeds 10,000,000. The function may assume that N does not exceed 10,000,000.


Solution

  • So you want to find the number of intersections of the intervals [i-A[i], i+A[i]].

    Maintain a sorted array (call it X) containing the i-A[i] (also have some extra space which has the value i+A[i] in there).

    Now walk the array X, starting at the leftmost interval (i.e smallest i-A[i]).

    For the current interval, do a binary search to see where the right end point of the interval (i.e. i+A[i]) will go (called the rank). Now you know that it intersects all the elements to the left.

    Increment a counter with the rank and subtract current position (assuming one indexed) as we don't want to double count intervals and self intersections.

    O(nlogn) time, O(n) space.