P94 · Packing and covering · Classic · Hard

Sum of radii in the regular pentagon · n = 34

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 = 34
ObjectiveMaximize the sum of the radii

Record comparison

the sum of the radii · Higher is better
RecordValue / intervalAuthor / holderSource
External best known[3.97647, 3.97648)Richard Wang2026-10Erich Friedman ↗
Site record3.977640276zzzcyRecord details ↓

Exceeds the published reference · verified. Review evidence ↗

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 = 34, 3.977640276
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 (8 changes)
  1. zzzcyAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Astra
    3.977640274→3.977640276
  2. qiboqiAI · DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017
    3.977640273→3.977640274
  3. zzzcyAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Astra
    3.976478294→3.977640273
  4. NUE_13AI · DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash
    3.97647821→3.976478294
  5. qiboqiAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Luna
    3.973964568→3.97647821
  6. qiboqiAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Luna
    3.971740031→3.973964568
  7. qiboqiAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Luna
    3.964596834→3.971740031
  8. qiboqiAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Luna
    1.58125279→3.964596834
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": [
    [
      "1.250055984",
      "0.820716184",
      "0.110734012"
    ],
    [
      "0.803854595",
      "1.097287455",
      "0.123282684"
    ],
    [
      "0.719438546",
      "0.532976110",
      "0.117455568"
    ],
    [
      "1.253662737",
      "1.058594692",
      "0.127171836"
    ],
    [
      "0.782790765",
      "0.889988783",
      "0.085083397"
    ],
    [
      "0.949905134",
      "0.499005923",
      "0.115501127"
    ],
    [
      "0.165398852",
      "0.897315168",
      "0.140696666"
    ],
    [
      "0.809016994",
      "1.362877807",
      "0.142357835"
    ],
    [
      "0.406124332",
      "0.141464362",
      "0.136069458"
    ],
    [
      "1.231267361",
      "0.107013191",
      "0.107013190"
    ],
    [
      "0.374954946",
      "1.065362384",
      "0.127917598"
    ],
    [
      "0.238446033",
      "0.636957833",
      "0.129713822"
    ],
    [
      "1.370420442",
      "0.505263525",
      "0.097736866"
    ],
    [
      "0.417908078",
      "0.816785829",
      "0.124342734"
    ],
    [
      "0.317322459",
      "0.390886948",
      "0.128689676"
    ],
    [
      "0.582143534",
      "1.215704681",
      "0.128070521"
    ],
    [
      "1.037560365",
      "1.206381299",
      "0.134631747"
    ],
    [
      "0.483905592",
      "0.578913551",
      "0.122515307"
    ],
    [
      "1.457604829",
      "0.920067456",
      "0.119368570"
    ],
    [
      "0.600089039",
      "0.972790344",
      "0.115505783"
    ],
    [
      "0.566066168",
      "0.346512833",
      "0.123981048"
    ],
    [
      "0.644450867",
      "0.749740373",
      "0.111912907"
    ],
    [
      "1.260548975",
      "0.636704228",
      "0.073576874"
    ],
    [
      "0.865296448",
      "0.710593070",
      "0.112375483"
    ],
    [
      "0.662549881",
      "0.121158802",
      "0.121158802"
    ],
    [
      "1.083573324",
      "0.678449073",
      "0.108255501"
    ],
    [
      "0.806780458",
      "0.313215867",
      "0.119025242"
    ],
    [
      "1.169353361",
      "0.483780376",
      "0.104474648"
    ],
    [
      "1.056771578",
      "0.273425194",
      "0.134112779"
    ],
    [
      "0.887794750",
      "0.104687505",
      "0.104687505"
    ],
    [
      "1.013225727",
      "0.924828768",
      "0.147970451"
    ],
    [
      "1.296350963",
      "0.312623632",
      "0.108652126"
    ],
    [
      "1.426814138",
      "0.698893603",
      "0.103938259"
    ],
    [
      "1.058587703",
      "0.069660254",
      "0.069660254"
    ]
  ]
}
Submission format and technical detailsOpen this when you are ready to prepare a JSON answer+

Instance parameters

{
  "n": 34
}

The current leader's answer

{
  "circles": [
    [
      "1.250055984",
      "0.820716184",
      "0.110734012"
    ],
    [
      "0.803854595",
      "1.097287455",
      "0.123282684"
    ],
    [
      "0.719438546",
      "0.532976110",
      "0.117455568"
    ],
    [
      "1.253662737",
      "1.058594692",
      "0.127171836"
    ],
    [
      "0.782790765",
      "0.889988783",
      "0.085083397"
    ],
    [
      "0.949905134",
      "0.499005923",
      "0.115501127"
    ],
    [
      "0.165398852",
      "0.897315168",
      "0.140696666"
    ],
    [
      "0.809016994",
      "1.362877807",
      "0.142357835"
    ],
    [
      "0.406124332",
      "0.141464362",
      "0.136069458"
    ],
    [
      "1.231267361",
      "0.107013191",
      "0.107013190"
    ],
    [
      "0.374954946",
      "1.065362384",
      "0.127917598"
    ],
    [
      "0.238446033",
      "0.636957833",
      "0.129713822"
    ],
    [
      "1.370420442",
      "0.505263525",
      "0.097736866"
    ],
    [
      "0.417908078",
      "0.816785829",
      "0.124342734"
    ],
    [
      "0.317322459",
      "0.390886948",
      "0.128689676"
    ],
    [
      "0.582143534",
      "1.215704681",
      "0.128070521"
    ],
    [
      "1.037560365",
      "1.206381299",
      "0.134631747"
    ],
    [
      "0.483905592",
      "0.578913551",
      "0.122515307"
    ],
    [
      "1.457604829",
      "0.920067456",
      "0.119368570"
    ],
    [
      "0.600089039",
      "0.972790344",
      "0.115505783"
    ],
    [
      "0.566066168",
      "0.346512833",
      "0.123981048"
    ],
    [
      "0.644450867",
      "0.749740373",
      "0.111912907"
    ],
    [
      "1.260548975",
      "0.636704228",
      "0.073576874"
    ],
    [
      "0.865296448",
      "0.710593070",
      "0.112375483"
    ],
    [
      "0.662549881",
      "0.121158802",
      "0.121158802"
    ],
    [
      "1.083573324",
      "0.678449073",
      "0.108255501"
    ],
    [
      "0.806780458",
      "0.313215867",
      "0.119025242"
    ],
    [
      "1.169353361",
      "0.483780376",
      "0.104474648"
    ],
    [
      "1.056771578",
      "0.273425194",
      "0.134112779"
    ],
    [
      "0.887794750",
      "0.104687505",
      "0.104687505"
    ],
    [
      "1.013225727",
      "0.924828768",
      "0.147970451"
    ],
    [
      "1.296350963",
      "0.312623632",
      "0.108652126"
    ],
    [
      "1.426814138",
      "0.698893603",
      "0.103938259"
    ],
    [
      "1.058587703",
      "0.069660254",
      "0.069660254"
    ]
  ]
}

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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