P94 · Packing and covering · Classic · Hard

Sum of radii in the regular pentagon · n = 26

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 = 26
ObjectiveMaximize the sum of the radii

Record comparison

the sum of the radii · Higher is better
RecordValue / intervalAuthor / holderSource
External best known[3.47663, 3.47664)Richard Wang2026-10Erich Friedman ↗
Site record3.476634544zzzcyRecord 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 = 26, 3.476634544
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
    3.476634543→3.476634544
  2. zzzcyAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Astra
    3.476634528→3.476634543
  3. NUE_13AI · DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash
    3.476634478→3.476634528
  4. qiboqiAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Luna
    3.476633968→3.476634478
  5. qiboqiAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Luna
    3.469057072→3.476633968
  6. qiboqiAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Luna
    1.539804006→3.469057072
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": [
    [
      "0.387205824",
      "0.825245717",
      "0.102583984"
    ],
    [
      "0.809016995",
      "1.131709473",
      "0.102583984"
    ],
    [
      "1.080997983",
      "0.599818981",
      "0.168093494"
    ],
    [
      "0.809016995",
      "0.402213225",
      "0.168093495"
    ],
    [
      "0.537036007",
      "0.599818980",
      "0.168093494"
    ],
    [
      "0.640923500",
      "0.919551808",
      "0.168093495"
    ],
    [
      "0.977110490",
      "0.919551808",
      "0.168093495"
    ],
    [
      "1.378495562",
      "0.642408889",
      "0.132437219"
    ],
    [
      "0.941454214",
      "0.132437219",
      "0.132437219"
    ],
    [
      "0.321389129",
      "0.390498328",
      "0.132437218"
    ],
    [
      "0.375209180",
      "1.059960537",
      "0.132437219"
    ],
    [
      "1.028536887",
      "1.215649826",
      "0.132437218"
    ],
    [
      "1.296644861",
      "0.390498329",
      "0.132437218"
    ],
    [
      "0.676579776",
      "0.132437219",
      "0.132437219"
    ],
    [
      "0.239538428",
      "0.642408888",
      "0.132437219"
    ],
    [
      "0.589497102",
      "1.215649825",
      "0.132437219"
    ],
    [
      "1.242824808",
      "1.059960537",
      "0.132437218"
    ],
    [
      "1.457923466",
      "0.899033454",
      "0.136198145"
    ],
    [
      "1.210063250",
      "0.136198146",
      "0.136198145"
    ],
    [
      "0.407970739",
      "0.136198145",
      "0.136198145"
    ],
    [
      "0.160110523",
      "0.899033452",
      "0.136198145"
    ],
    [
      "0.809016995",
      "1.370491602",
      "0.136198145"
    ],
    [
      "1.069710636",
      "0.329376948",
      "0.102583984"
    ],
    [
      "0.809016995",
      "0.688190960",
      "0.117884240"
    ],
    [
      "1.230828166",
      "0.825245718",
      "0.102583984"
    ],
    [
      "0.548323354",
      "0.329376947",
      "0.102583984"
    ]
  ]
}
Submission format and technical detailsOpen this when you are ready to prepare a JSON answer+

Instance parameters

{
  "n": 26
}

The current leader's answer

{
  "circles": [
    [
      "0.387205824",
      "0.825245717",
      "0.102583984"
    ],
    [
      "0.809016995",
      "1.131709473",
      "0.102583984"
    ],
    [
      "1.080997983",
      "0.599818981",
      "0.168093494"
    ],
    [
      "0.809016995",
      "0.402213225",
      "0.168093495"
    ],
    [
      "0.537036007",
      "0.599818980",
      "0.168093494"
    ],
    [
      "0.640923500",
      "0.919551808",
      "0.168093495"
    ],
    [
      "0.977110490",
      "0.919551808",
      "0.168093495"
    ],
    [
      "1.378495562",
      "0.642408889",
      "0.132437219"
    ],
    [
      "0.941454214",
      "0.132437219",
      "0.132437219"
    ],
    [
      "0.321389129",
      "0.390498328",
      "0.132437218"
    ],
    [
      "0.375209180",
      "1.059960537",
      "0.132437219"
    ],
    [
      "1.028536887",
      "1.215649826",
      "0.132437218"
    ],
    [
      "1.296644861",
      "0.390498329",
      "0.132437218"
    ],
    [
      "0.676579776",
      "0.132437219",
      "0.132437219"
    ],
    [
      "0.239538428",
      "0.642408888",
      "0.132437219"
    ],
    [
      "0.589497102",
      "1.215649825",
      "0.132437219"
    ],
    [
      "1.242824808",
      "1.059960537",
      "0.132437218"
    ],
    [
      "1.457923466",
      "0.899033454",
      "0.136198145"
    ],
    [
      "1.210063250",
      "0.136198146",
      "0.136198145"
    ],
    [
      "0.407970739",
      "0.136198145",
      "0.136198145"
    ],
    [
      "0.160110523",
      "0.899033452",
      "0.136198145"
    ],
    [
      "0.809016995",
      "1.370491602",
      "0.136198145"
    ],
    [
      "1.069710636",
      "0.329376948",
      "0.102583984"
    ],
    [
      "0.809016995",
      "0.688190960",
      "0.117884240"
    ],
    [
      "1.230828166",
      "0.825245718",
      "0.102583984"
    ],
    [
      "0.548323354",
      "0.329376947",
      "0.102583984"
    ]
  ]
}

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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