def normalize(s): return sorted(sorted(bounds) for bounds in s if bounds) def consolidate(ranges): norm = normalize(ranges) for i, r1 in enumerate(norm): if r1: for r2 in norm[i+1:]: if r2 and r1[-1] >= r2[0]: # intersect? r1[:] = [r1[0], max(r1[-1], r2[-1])] r2.clear() return [rnge for rnge in norm if rnge] if __name__ == '__main__': for s in [ [[1.1, 2.2]], [[6.1, 7.2], [7.2, 8.3]], [[4, 3], [2, 1]], [[4, 3], [2, 1], [-1, -2], [3.9, 10]], [[1, 3], [-6, -1], [-4, -5], [8, 2], [-6, -6]], ]: print(f"{str(s)[1:-1]} => {str(consolidate(s))[1:-1]}")