P94 · Packing and covering · Classic · Hard

Sum of radii in the regular pentagon · n = 32

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 = 32
ObjectiveMaximize the sum of the radii

Record comparison

the sum of the radii · Higher is better
RecordValue / intervalAuthor / holderSource
External best known[3.86196, 3.86197)Jonathan Viquerat2026-10Erich Friedman ↗
Site record3.861962588zzzcyRecord 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 = 32, 3.861962588
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 (7 changes)
  1. zzzcyAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Astra
    3.861962587→3.861962588
  2. qiboqiAI · DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017
    3.861962586→3.861962587
  3. zzzcyAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Astra
    3.861962558→3.861962586
  4. NUE_13AI · DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash
    3.861962505→3.861962558
  5. qiboqiAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Luna
    3.849079286→3.861962505
  6. qiboqiAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Luna
    3.833176407→3.849079286
  7. qiboqiAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Luna
    1.572685312→3.833176407
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": [
    [
      "1.198538824",
      "0.815371258",
      "0.124485371"
    ],
    [
      "1.009404727",
      "0.970379697",
      "0.120053624"
    ],
    [
      "0.381798750",
      "0.824861663",
      "0.143578140"
    ],
    [
      "0.560664724",
      "0.350491765",
      "0.122695833"
    ],
    [
      "1.045092964",
      "0.351763519",
      "0.123681639"
    ],
    [
      "0.977034217",
      "0.744577290",
      "0.108057263"
    ],
    [
      "0.802781657",
      "0.872961566",
      "0.108383206"
    ],
    [
      "0.623798802",
      "0.746408970",
      "0.110820858"
    ],
    [
      "0.693758432",
      "0.539003907",
      "0.108065434"
    ],
    [
      "0.909638698",
      "0.539494754",
      "0.107815390"
    ],
    [
      "1.031471669",
      "1.218145630",
      "0.128693049"
    ],
    [
      "0.386257797",
      "1.086147496",
      "0.117745738"
    ],
    [
      "0.315499920",
      "0.383542205",
      "0.124686688"
    ],
    [
      "0.930480282",
      "0.127855432",
      "0.127855432"
    ],
    [
      "1.378633579",
      "0.635379989",
      "0.130133908"
    ],
    [
      "0.806384977",
      "1.104688337",
      "0.123371578"
    ],
    [
      "0.598326586",
      "0.976717674",
      "0.120892182"
    ],
    [
      "0.468150270",
      "0.575351540",
      "0.120451946"
    ],
    [
      "0.802416493",
      "0.339264132",
      "0.119316517"
    ],
    [
      "1.134476615",
      "0.578952967",
      "0.120458653"
    ],
    [
      "1.451688483",
      "0.897007601",
      "0.141501926"
    ],
    [
      "0.809016995",
      "1.367038487",
      "0.138991774"
    ],
    [
      "0.201901613",
      "0.980878453",
      "0.094548336"
    ],
    [
      "0.409347024",
      "0.138092436",
      "0.138092436"
    ],
    [
      "1.196190805",
      "0.138050604",
      "0.138050604"
    ],
    [
      "1.239856928",
      "1.065871538",
      "0.129399595"
    ],
    [
      "0.587406087",
      "1.222795134",
      "0.125427475"
    ],
    [
      "0.233469349",
      "0.610760023",
      "0.116885146"
    ],
    [
      "0.674930445",
      "0.127694455",
      "0.127694455"
    ],
    [
      "1.297205297",
      "0.387341459",
      "0.130928685"
    ],
    [
      "0.801572680",
      "0.688406189",
      "0.076176130"
    ],
    [
      "0.146330751",
      "0.801727394",
      "0.093023577"
    ]
  ]
}
Submission format and technical detailsOpen this when you are ready to prepare a JSON answer+

Instance parameters

{
  "n": 32
}

The current leader's answer

{
  "circles": [
    [
      "1.198538824",
      "0.815371258",
      "0.124485371"
    ],
    [
      "1.009404727",
      "0.970379697",
      "0.120053624"
    ],
    [
      "0.381798750",
      "0.824861663",
      "0.143578140"
    ],
    [
      "0.560664724",
      "0.350491765",
      "0.122695833"
    ],
    [
      "1.045092964",
      "0.351763519",
      "0.123681639"
    ],
    [
      "0.977034217",
      "0.744577290",
      "0.108057263"
    ],
    [
      "0.802781657",
      "0.872961566",
      "0.108383206"
    ],
    [
      "0.623798802",
      "0.746408970",
      "0.110820858"
    ],
    [
      "0.693758432",
      "0.539003907",
      "0.108065434"
    ],
    [
      "0.909638698",
      "0.539494754",
      "0.107815390"
    ],
    [
      "1.031471669",
      "1.218145630",
      "0.128693049"
    ],
    [
      "0.386257797",
      "1.086147496",
      "0.117745738"
    ],
    [
      "0.315499920",
      "0.383542205",
      "0.124686688"
    ],
    [
      "0.930480282",
      "0.127855432",
      "0.127855432"
    ],
    [
      "1.378633579",
      "0.635379989",
      "0.130133908"
    ],
    [
      "0.806384977",
      "1.104688337",
      "0.123371578"
    ],
    [
      "0.598326586",
      "0.976717674",
      "0.120892182"
    ],
    [
      "0.468150270",
      "0.575351540",
      "0.120451946"
    ],
    [
      "0.802416493",
      "0.339264132",
      "0.119316517"
    ],
    [
      "1.134476615",
      "0.578952967",
      "0.120458653"
    ],
    [
      "1.451688483",
      "0.897007601",
      "0.141501926"
    ],
    [
      "0.809016995",
      "1.367038487",
      "0.138991774"
    ],
    [
      "0.201901613",
      "0.980878453",
      "0.094548336"
    ],
    [
      "0.409347024",
      "0.138092436",
      "0.138092436"
    ],
    [
      "1.196190805",
      "0.138050604",
      "0.138050604"
    ],
    [
      "1.239856928",
      "1.065871538",
      "0.129399595"
    ],
    [
      "0.587406087",
      "1.222795134",
      "0.125427475"
    ],
    [
      "0.233469349",
      "0.610760023",
      "0.116885146"
    ],
    [
      "0.674930445",
      "0.127694455",
      "0.127694455"
    ],
    [
      "1.297205297",
      "0.387341459",
      "0.130928685"
    ],
    [
      "0.801572680",
      "0.688406189",
      "0.076176130"
    ],
    [
      "0.146330751",
      "0.801727394",
      "0.093023577"
    ]
  ]
}

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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