1. A method for identifying a predetermined number of data points of interest in a data set, comprising the steps of: partitioning a plurality of data points in a data set into a plurality of partitions; computing lower and upper bounds for each one of the plurality of partitions; identifying a plurality of candidate partitions from the plurality of partitions, wherein each one of the plurality of candidate partitions may include at least one of a predetermined number of data points of interest, wherein the predetermined number of data points of interest are included within the plurality of data points in the data set; and identifying the predetermined number of data points of interest from the plurality of candidate partitions.