P94 · Packing and covering · Classic · Hard

Sum of radii in the regular pentagon · n = 25

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 = 25
ObjectiveMaximize the sum of the radii

Record comparison

the sum of the radii · Higher is better
RecordValue / intervalAuthor / holderSource
External best known[3.39164, 3.39165)Jonathan Viquerat2026-10Erich Friedman ↗
Site record3.391644565zzzcyRecord details ↓

Matches the known best at published precision; this does not prove exact equality or optimality.

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
Open full editor ↗

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 = 25, 3.391644565
LAYOUT & HISTORY

Record details

Inspect the layout, solver notes and record history.

Record holderzzzcy
Solution methodAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Astra
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 (6 changes)
  1. zzzcyAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Astra
    3.391644564→3.391644565
  2. qiboqiAI · DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017
    3.391644563→3.391644564
  3. zzzcyAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Astra
    3.389477515→3.391644563
  4. NUE_13AI · DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash
    3.389477471→3.389477515
  5. qiboqiAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Luna
    3.389477033→3.389477471
  6. qiboqiAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Luna
    1.532936125→3.389477033
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": [
    [
      "0.859143331",
      "0.380881904",
      "0.130960400"
    ],
    [
      "0.421168873",
      "0.154363818",
      "0.154363818"
    ],
    [
      "0.814086847",
      "1.349653119",
      "0.150076848"
    ],
    [
      "0.601934782",
      "0.902340876",
      "0.162268948"
    ],
    [
      "1.051360029",
      "0.601716009",
      "0.161810775"
    ],
    [
      "1.190402377",
      "0.867614870",
      "0.138247517"
    ],
    [
      "0.719393049",
      "0.144039031",
      "0.144039031"
    ],
    [
      "1.249992407",
      "0.345028645",
      "0.162755433"
    ],
    [
      "1.060717105",
      "1.146587290",
      "0.169394926"
    ],
    [
      "1.307574747",
      "1.064403738",
      "0.090783535"
    ],
    [
      "0.354147018",
      "1.051464192",
      "0.126930876"
    ],
    [
      "0.571543940",
      "1.198673923",
      "0.135618408"
    ],
    [
      "0.356641232",
      "0.831497590",
      "0.093049866"
    ],
    [
      "0.746773898",
      "0.632153050",
      "0.144292352"
    ],
    [
      "1.460625972",
      "0.899911552",
      "0.133899256"
    ],
    [
      "0.220911649",
      "0.665053931",
      "0.121719804"
    ],
    [
      "0.588831418",
      "0.396040527",
      "0.139776214"
    ],
    [
      "0.907466815",
      "0.872383526",
      "0.144728227"
    ],
    [
      "0.789913295",
      "1.094309159",
      "0.106408820"
    ],
    [
      "1.359675163",
      "0.636245466",
      "0.148431880"
    ],
    [
      "1.242765005",
      "0.091188041",
      "0.091188040"
    ],
    [
      "0.314302022",
      "0.424598729",
      "0.136234583"
    ],
    [
      "1.010857609",
      "0.147445433",
      "0.147445433"
    ],
    [
      "0.471980895",
      "0.639872751",
      "0.130609063"
    ],
    [
      "0.148839584",
      "0.902695603",
      "0.126610512"
    ]
  ]
}
Submission format and technical detailsOpen this when you are ready to prepare a JSON answer+

Instance parameters

{
  "n": 25
}

The current leader's answer

{
  "circles": [
    [
      "0.859143331",
      "0.380881904",
      "0.130960400"
    ],
    [
      "0.421168873",
      "0.154363818",
      "0.154363818"
    ],
    [
      "0.814086847",
      "1.349653119",
      "0.150076848"
    ],
    [
      "0.601934782",
      "0.902340876",
      "0.162268948"
    ],
    [
      "1.051360029",
      "0.601716009",
      "0.161810775"
    ],
    [
      "1.190402377",
      "0.867614870",
      "0.138247517"
    ],
    [
      "0.719393049",
      "0.144039031",
      "0.144039031"
    ],
    [
      "1.249992407",
      "0.345028645",
      "0.162755433"
    ],
    [
      "1.060717105",
      "1.146587290",
      "0.169394926"
    ],
    [
      "1.307574747",
      "1.064403738",
      "0.090783535"
    ],
    [
      "0.354147018",
      "1.051464192",
      "0.126930876"
    ],
    [
      "0.571543940",
      "1.198673923",
      "0.135618408"
    ],
    [
      "0.356641232",
      "0.831497590",
      "0.093049866"
    ],
    [
      "0.746773898",
      "0.632153050",
      "0.144292352"
    ],
    [
      "1.460625972",
      "0.899911552",
      "0.133899256"
    ],
    [
      "0.220911649",
      "0.665053931",
      "0.121719804"
    ],
    [
      "0.588831418",
      "0.396040527",
      "0.139776214"
    ],
    [
      "0.907466815",
      "0.872383526",
      "0.144728227"
    ],
    [
      "0.789913295",
      "1.094309159",
      "0.106408820"
    ],
    [
      "1.359675163",
      "0.636245466",
      "0.148431880"
    ],
    [
      "1.242765005",
      "0.091188041",
      "0.091188040"
    ],
    [
      "0.314302022",
      "0.424598729",
      "0.136234583"
    ],
    [
      "1.010857609",
      "0.147445433",
      "0.147445433"
    ],
    [
      "0.471980895",
      "0.639872751",
      "0.130609063"
    ],
    [
      "0.148839584",
      "0.902695603",
      "0.126610512"
    ]
  ]
}

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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