Reverse-Fit: A 2-Optimal Algorithm for Packing Rectangles

We describe and analyze a ”level-oriented” algorithm, called ”Reverse-Fit”, for packing rectangles into a unit-width, infinite-height bin so as to minimize the total height of the packing. For L an arbitrary list of rectangles, all assumed to have width no more than 1, let h OPT denote the minimum possible bin height within the rectangles in L can be packed, and let RF(L) denote the height actually used by Reverse-Fit. We will show that RF(L)≤2·h OPT for an arbitrary list L of rectangles.