P94 · Packing and covering · Classic · Hard

Sum of radii in the regular pentagon · n = 20

Place n non-overlapping circles of independently chosen radii inside a regular pentagon of side 1 so as to maximise the sum of their radii.

Instancen = 20
ObjectiveMaximize the sum of the radii

Record comparison

the sum of the radii · Higher is better
RecordValue / intervalAuthor / holderSource
External best known[3.01869, 3.01870)Jonathan Viquerat2026-06Erich Friedman ↗
Site record3.018678923qiboqiRecord details ↓

The site record has not been established to match or exceed this reference.

Formal definition

  • ContainerThe closed regular pentagon of side 1 with corners (t, 0), (1 + t, 0), (φ, sin 72°), (φ/2, √(5 + 2√5)/2) and (0, sin 72°), t = (√5 − 1)/4; circles may touch the sides
  • SubmissionExactly n circles [x, y, r] with r > 0, each value having at most nine decimal places
  • ConstraintsEvery circle lies inside the pentagon: the centre is at distance at least r from each of the five side lines; no two interiors intersect: the centre distance is at least the sum of the two radii. The side equations involve √5 and √(10 + 2√5) and are decided by an exact sign test in that number field, with tangency allowed
  • ScoreThe sum of the radii, computed as an exact integer sum and displayed to nine decimal places; larger is betterS=Σr
  • ObjectiveMaximise the sum of the radii over all valid arrangementsmaxSΣr
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Layout shown: site record

1.538841769y0
0x1.618033989
VERIFIED CONSTRUCTIONscored by the sum of the radii

Getting a feel for it

The incircle and five 108° corners

One circle can be at most the incircle, of radius cot(π/5)/2 ≈ 0.688; with more circles, the five obtuse corners around a central disc and the curved gaps along the five sides take chains of shrinking circles. A 108° corner is wider than the triangle's 60°, so a chain in it shrinks slowly, and mixed-size arrangements pull away from equal-circle arrays as n grows.

Literature records

Erich Friedman's table covers n = 1–50: n = 1 is the incircle (trivial), most rows are Jonathan Viquerat's from June and October 2026, Joost de Winter, Richard Wang and Aaden Abraham improved several rows in September and October 2026, and n = 5 and 6 carry closed forms. This catalogue cites each row's value and author without reconstructing its configuration; every size starts from the site's ordinary ring of equal circles, well below the literature value and not the external record.

Source
The record-holding arrangement for Sum of radii in the regular pentagon n = 20, 3.018678923
LAYOUT & HISTORY

Record details

Inspect the layout, solver notes and record history.

Record holderqiboqi
Solution methodAI · DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017
Challenge this record ↗Submit a proof / idea ↓Share a proof or bound argument in the discussion board. Accepted contributions earn proof points.
Record holder's solver noteNo solver note yet (expand)+

The record holder has not shared a solver note yet.

Record history (4 changes)
  1. qiboqiAI · DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017
    3.018678922→3.018678923
  2. zzzcyAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Astra
    3.018678868→3.018678922
  3. NUE_13AI · DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash
    3.018678517→3.018678868
  4. qiboqiAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Luna
    1.48949948→3.018678517
ANSWER FORMAT

How to write your answer

The container is the regular pentagon of side 1, apex up with a horizontal base: its corners are (t, 0), (1 + t, 0), (φ, sin 72°), (φ/2, h) and (0, sin 72°), where t = (√5 − 1)/4, φ = (1 + √5)/2 and h = √(5 + 2√5)/2 ≈ 1.538842. Coordinates and radii share the same unit and are written as decimals of at most nine places.

Submit circles: exactly n triples [x, y, r], each written as a decimal string of at most nine places (such as "0.25"). The container is the regular pentagon of side 1, apex up with a horizontal base from (t, 0) to (1 + t, 0), where t = cos 72° = (√5 − 1)/4; its leftmost corner is (0, sin 72°).

The current leader's answer

{
  "circles": [
    [
      "1.379939733",
      "0.639574546",
      "0.130187871"
    ],
    [
      "0.839645619",
      "0.978365653",
      "0.165241862"
    ],
    [
      "0.437882118",
      "0.177367626",
      "0.177367626"
    ],
    [
      "0.985594137",
      "0.350387604",
      "0.168146009"
    ],
    [
      "1.146553699",
      "0.578518635",
      "0.111052393"
    ],
    [
      "0.329046340",
      "0.516275241",
      "0.178586862"
    ],
    [
      "1.150426736",
      "0.857690174",
      "0.168146010"
    ],
    [
      "0.229432168",
      "0.876509486",
      "0.195166659"
    ],
    [
      "0.892269116",
      "0.661140706",
      "0.156318240"
    ],
    [
      "0.663235667",
      "0.435431648",
      "0.165241862"
    ],
    [
      "1.299479205",
      "0.391942500",
      "0.130187870"
    ],
    [
      "1.454782918",
      "0.898013029",
      "0.138869654"
    ],
    [
      "0.755484815",
      "0.142178529",
      "0.142178529"
    ],
    [
      "0.809016995",
      "1.319603325",
      "0.177367626"
    ],
    [
      "0.579324163",
      "0.762822685",
      "0.172731556"
    ],
    [
      "1.300827726",
      "1.068881654",
      "0.091126624"
    ],
    [
      "1.086646606",
      "1.161389721",
      "0.142178529"
    ],
    [
      "0.521762103",
      "1.109393371",
      "0.178586862"
    ],
    [
      "1.208122284",
      "0.138869655",
      "0.138869655"
    ],
    [
      "0.983135859",
      "0.091126624",
      "0.091126624"
    ]
  ]
}
Submission format and technical detailsOpen this when you are ready to prepare a JSON answer+

Instance parameters

{
  "n": 20
}

The current leader's answer

{
  "circles": [
    [
      "1.379939733",
      "0.639574546",
      "0.130187871"
    ],
    [
      "0.839645619",
      "0.978365653",
      "0.165241862"
    ],
    [
      "0.437882118",
      "0.177367626",
      "0.177367626"
    ],
    [
      "0.985594137",
      "0.350387604",
      "0.168146009"
    ],
    [
      "1.146553699",
      "0.578518635",
      "0.111052393"
    ],
    [
      "0.329046340",
      "0.516275241",
      "0.178586862"
    ],
    [
      "1.150426736",
      "0.857690174",
      "0.168146010"
    ],
    [
      "0.229432168",
      "0.876509486",
      "0.195166659"
    ],
    [
      "0.892269116",
      "0.661140706",
      "0.156318240"
    ],
    [
      "0.663235667",
      "0.435431648",
      "0.165241862"
    ],
    [
      "1.299479205",
      "0.391942500",
      "0.130187870"
    ],
    [
      "1.454782918",
      "0.898013029",
      "0.138869654"
    ],
    [
      "0.755484815",
      "0.142178529",
      "0.142178529"
    ],
    [
      "0.809016995",
      "1.319603325",
      "0.177367626"
    ],
    [
      "0.579324163",
      "0.762822685",
      "0.172731556"
    ],
    [
      "1.300827726",
      "1.068881654",
      "0.091126624"
    ],
    [
      "1.086646606",
      "1.161389721",
      "0.142178529"
    ],
    [
      "0.521762103",
      "1.109393371",
      "0.178586862"
    ],
    [
      "1.208122284",
      "0.138869655",
      "0.138869655"
    ],
    [
      "0.983135859",
      "0.091126624",
      "0.091126624"
    ]
  ]
}

Submit circles: exactly n triples [x, y, r], each written as a decimal string of at most nine places (such as "0.25"). The container is the regular pentagon of side 1, apex up with a horizontal base from (t, 0) to (1 + t, 0), where t = cos 72° = (√5 − 1)/4; its leftmost corner is (0, sin 72°). · Verifier v1.0.0

DISCUSSION

Discussion

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