Answers.Body: <p>Rosen, <em>Discrete Mathematics and its Applications</em>, Sec. 8.3, says:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>This problem arises in many applications such as determining the
    closest pair of airplanes in the air space at a particular altitude
    being managed by an air traffic controller.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
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Answers.CreationDate: 2019-08-03T22:51:48.703Z
Answers.Text: Welcome to CSE Stack Exchange. Great first answer!
Answers.UserDisplayName: Ellen Spertus
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Answers.CreationDate: 2019-08-03T22:34:21.940Z
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Answers.UserDisplayName: Daniel R. Collins
Body: <p>The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closest_pair_of_points_problem" rel="nofollow noreferrer">closest pair problem</a> is the famous problem of finding out the closest pair of points given an arbitrary set of points on a plane. This problem has a divide and conquer algorithm and often is used in algorithms classes to illustrate the divide and conquer paradigm.</p>
  
  <p>I also intend to do the same, but I would like to begin with some comments on why this algorithm is useful. Are there any interesting examples I can use here? A google search reveals nothing.</p>
  
  <p>This is for an introductory algorithms course, and the audience is not expected to be an expert on this topic and has a mediocre level of mathematical maturity.</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2019-07-31T22:13:48.200Z
Comments.Text: Introducing neighbors to each other? Picking up stranded people in a disaster?
Comments.UserDisplayName: Ellen Spertus
Tags: <student-motivation><algorithms>
Title: What is the closest pair problem useful for?
ThreadText: # What is the closest pair problem useful for?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2019-07-31)
  
  The [closest pair problem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closest_pair_of_points_problem) is the famous problem of finding out the closest pair of points given an arbitrary set of points on a plane. This problem has a divide and conquer algorithm and often is used in algorithms classes to illustrate the divide and conquer paradigm.
  
  I also intend to do the same, but I would like to begin with some comments on why this algorithm is useful. Are there any interesting examples I can use here? A google search reveals nothing.
  
  This is for an introductory algorithms course, and the audience is not expected to be an expert on this topic and has a mediocre level of mathematical maturity.
  
  **Tags:** student-motivation, algorithms
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: Introducing neighbors to each other? Picking up stranded people in a disaster?  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2019-08-03. Score: 4
  
  Rosen, *Discrete Mathematics and its Applications*, Sec. 8.3, says:
  
  > This problem arises in many applications such as determining the
  > closest pair of airplanes in the air space at a particular altitude
  > being managed by an air traffic controller.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: Welcome to CSE Stack Exchange. Great first answer!  
  
  ---
  
  