Alon Itai, Michael Rodeh, et al.
Theoretical Computer Science
The k-supplier problem is a fundamental location problem that involves opening k facilities to minimize the maximum distance of any client to an open facility. We consider the k-supplier problem in Euclidean metrics (of arbitrary dimension) and present an algorithm with approximation ratio 1 + √3 < 2.74. This improves upon the previously known 3-approximation algorithm, which also holds for general metrics. Our result is almost best possible as the Euclidean k-supplier problem is NP-hard to approximate better than a factor of √7 > 2.64. We also present a nearly linear time algorithm for the Euclidean k-supplier in constant dimensions that achieves an approximation ratio better than three.
Alon Itai, Michael Rodeh, et al.
Theoretical Computer Science
Nikhil Bansal, Rohit Khandekar, et al.
STOC 2008
Philippe Baptiste, Baruch Schieber
Journal of Scheduling
Baruch Schieber, Uzi Vishkin
Discrete Applied Mathematics