Linear-Time $(1+\varepsilon)$-Approximation Algorithms for Two-Line-Center Problems

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Chung, Chaeyoon, Maheshwari, Anil, Smid, Michiel
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Chung, Chaeyoon
Maheshwari, Anil
Smid, Michiel
author_facet Chung, Chaeyoon
Maheshwari, Anil
Smid, Michiel
contents Given a set $S$ of $n$ points in the plane, we study the two-line-center problem: finding two lines that minimize the maximum distance from each point in $S$ to its closest line. We present a $(1+\varepsilon)$-approximation algorithm for the two-line-center problem that runs in $O((n/\varepsilon) \log (1/\varepsilon))$ time, which improves the previously best $O(n\log n + ({n}/{\varepsilon^2}) \log ({1}/{\varepsilon}) + (1/\varepsilon^3)\log ({1}/{\varepsilon}))$-time algorithm. We also consider three variants of this problem, in which the orientations of the two lines are restricted: (1) the orientation of one of the two lines is fixed, (2) the orientations of both lines are fixed, and (3) the two lines are required to be parallel. For each of these three variants, we give the first $(1+\varepsilon)$-approximation algorithm that runs in linear time. In particular, for the variant where the orientation of one of the two lines is fixed, we also give an improved exact algorithm that runs in $O(n \log n)$ time and show that it is optimal.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_03516
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Linear-Time $(1+\varepsilon)$-Approximation Algorithms for Two-Line-Center Problems
Chung, Chaeyoon
Maheshwari, Anil
Smid, Michiel
Computational Geometry
Given a set $S$ of $n$ points in the plane, we study the two-line-center problem: finding two lines that minimize the maximum distance from each point in $S$ to its closest line. We present a $(1+\varepsilon)$-approximation algorithm for the two-line-center problem that runs in $O((n/\varepsilon) \log (1/\varepsilon))$ time, which improves the previously best $O(n\log n + ({n}/{\varepsilon^2}) \log ({1}/{\varepsilon}) + (1/\varepsilon^3)\log ({1}/{\varepsilon}))$-time algorithm. We also consider three variants of this problem, in which the orientations of the two lines are restricted: (1) the orientation of one of the two lines is fixed, (2) the orientations of both lines are fixed, and (3) the two lines are required to be parallel. For each of these three variants, we give the first $(1+\varepsilon)$-approximation algorithm that runs in linear time. In particular, for the variant where the orientation of one of the two lines is fixed, we also give an improved exact algorithm that runs in $O(n \log n)$ time and show that it is optimal.
title Linear-Time $(1+\varepsilon)$-Approximation Algorithms for Two-Line-Center Problems
topic Computational Geometry
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.03516