Algorithm interview from Google

Question

I am a long time lurker, and just had an interview with Google where they asked me this question:

Various artists want to perform at the Royal Albert Hall and you are re

Answer 1

You need a normal binary search tree of intervals of available dates. Just search for the interval containing d. If it does not exist, take the interval next (in-order) to the point where the search stopped.

Note: contiguous intervals must be fused together in a single node. For example: the available-dates intervals {2 - 15} and {16 - 23} should become {2 - 23}. This might happen if a concert reservation was cancelled.

Alternatively, a tree of non-available dates can be used instead, provided that contiguous non-available intervals are fused together.