P94 · Packing and covering · Classic · Hard

Sum of radii in the regular pentagon · n = 45

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 = 45
ObjectiveMaximize the sum of the radii

Record comparison

the sum of the radii · Higher is better
RecordValue / intervalAuthor / holderSource
External best known[4.60620, 4.60621)Joost de Winter2026-10Erich Friedman ↗
Site record4.606208317zzzcyRecord 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 = 45, 4.606208317
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
    4.606208316→4.606208317
  2. zzzcyAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Astra
    4.606208314→4.606208316
  3. qiboqiAI · DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017
    4.606208313→4.606208314
  4. zzzcyAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Astra
    4.605291343→4.606208313
  5. NUE_13AI · DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash
    4.605291225→4.605291343
  6. qiboqiAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Luna
    4.602406562→4.605291225
  7. qiboqiAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Luna
    4.598022733→4.602406562
  8. qiboqiAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Luna
    1.61551521→4.598022733
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": [
    [
      "0.137170179",
      "0.907034875",
      "0.116240864"
    ],
    [
      "1.481393133",
      "0.906659212",
      "0.116233653"
    ],
    [
      "1.074131990",
      "1.176588938",
      "0.137238010"
    ],
    [
      "0.314678673",
      "0.310821594",
      "0.101433731"
    ],
    [
      "1.109427976",
      "0.713284812",
      "0.101697977"
    ],
    [
      "1.279895766",
      "0.823990330",
      "0.101562887"
    ],
    [
      "0.729897974",
      "0.642303399",
      "0.126702104"
    ],
    [
      "1.156039351",
      "0.496581600",
      "0.119961448"
    ],
    [
      "1.291262133",
      "1.042970294",
      "0.117711869"
    ],
    [
      "1.226219612",
      "0.113960819",
      "0.113960819"
    ],
    [
      "1.091906783",
      "0.927124776",
      "0.112858594"
    ],
    [
      "0.884411114",
      "1.014511469",
      "0.112287773"
    ],
    [
      "0.391262986",
      "0.111807432",
      "0.111807432"
    ],
    [
      "0.912843922",
      "0.793443867",
      "0.110600784"
    ],
    [
      "0.709248021",
      "0.877931891",
      "0.109829515"
    ],
    [
      "0.313974661",
      "1.045368479",
      "0.108249694"
    ],
    [
      "1.301052981",
      "0.321920158",
      "0.107053026"
    ],
    [
      "0.485158419",
      "1.173238668",
      "0.105419827"
    ],
    [
      "0.511701033",
      "0.963887191",
      "0.105607543"
    ],
    [
      "0.680266572",
      "1.091806759",
      "0.106000009"
    ],
    [
      "0.192559873",
      "0.694138246",
      "0.103743210"
    ],
    [
      "0.605696873",
      "0.102814926",
      "0.102814926"
    ],
    [
      "0.651109487",
      "1.297880416",
      "0.102126125"
    ],
    [
      "0.951492372",
      "0.583924659",
      "0.102453202"
    ],
    [
      "1.010238774",
      "0.102332807",
      "0.102332807"
    ],
    [
      "0.345789032",
      "0.835069998",
      "0.104441644"
    ],
    [
      "0.535868441",
      "0.759651303",
      "0.100053249"
    ],
    [
      "0.514606148",
      "0.284297745",
      "0.100245493"
    ],
    [
      "0.840322316",
      "1.223411265",
      "0.101213859"
    ],
    [
      "1.097525650",
      "0.284702175",
      "0.099849252"
    ],
    [
      "0.808205502",
      "0.099717391",
      "0.099717391"
    ],
    [
      "0.712626165",
      "0.272913528",
      "0.098101494"
    ],
    [
      "0.250176356",
      "0.500170898",
      "0.098600535"
    ],
    [
      "0.809016994",
      "1.419049920",
      "0.096913641"
    ],
    [
      "1.434006090",
      "0.698713808",
      "0.097042747"
    ],
    [
      "1.373106462",
      "0.513657873",
      "0.097776306"
    ],
    [
      "0.817382160",
      "0.436937943",
      "0.096520774"
    ],
    [
      "0.625348671",
      "0.445978562",
      "0.095725405"
    ],
    [
      "0.904541866",
      "0.267651040",
      "0.093886342"
    ],
    [
      "0.382911045",
      "0.639960573",
      "0.094167851"
    ],
    [
      "0.437503613",
      "0.461207435",
      "0.092735955"
    ],
    [
      "1.271677778",
      "0.650258406",
      "0.072363294"
    ],
    [
      "0.983747552",
      "0.412917009",
      "0.071569822"
    ],
    [
      "0.539763996",
      "0.588835807",
      "0.070806661"
    ],
    [
      "0.957569749",
      "1.346180931",
      "0.068548773"
    ]
  ]
}
Submission format and technical detailsOpen this when you are ready to prepare a JSON answer+

Instance parameters

{
  "n": 45
}

The current leader's answer

{
  "circles": [
    [
      "0.137170179",
      "0.907034875",
      "0.116240864"
    ],
    [
      "1.481393133",
      "0.906659212",
      "0.116233653"
    ],
    [
      "1.074131990",
      "1.176588938",
      "0.137238010"
    ],
    [
      "0.314678673",
      "0.310821594",
      "0.101433731"
    ],
    [
      "1.109427976",
      "0.713284812",
      "0.101697977"
    ],
    [
      "1.279895766",
      "0.823990330",
      "0.101562887"
    ],
    [
      "0.729897974",
      "0.642303399",
      "0.126702104"
    ],
    [
      "1.156039351",
      "0.496581600",
      "0.119961448"
    ],
    [
      "1.291262133",
      "1.042970294",
      "0.117711869"
    ],
    [
      "1.226219612",
      "0.113960819",
      "0.113960819"
    ],
    [
      "1.091906783",
      "0.927124776",
      "0.112858594"
    ],
    [
      "0.884411114",
      "1.014511469",
      "0.112287773"
    ],
    [
      "0.391262986",
      "0.111807432",
      "0.111807432"
    ],
    [
      "0.912843922",
      "0.793443867",
      "0.110600784"
    ],
    [
      "0.709248021",
      "0.877931891",
      "0.109829515"
    ],
    [
      "0.313974661",
      "1.045368479",
      "0.108249694"
    ],
    [
      "1.301052981",
      "0.321920158",
      "0.107053026"
    ],
    [
      "0.485158419",
      "1.173238668",
      "0.105419827"
    ],
    [
      "0.511701033",
      "0.963887191",
      "0.105607543"
    ],
    [
      "0.680266572",
      "1.091806759",
      "0.106000009"
    ],
    [
      "0.192559873",
      "0.694138246",
      "0.103743210"
    ],
    [
      "0.605696873",
      "0.102814926",
      "0.102814926"
    ],
    [
      "0.651109487",
      "1.297880416",
      "0.102126125"
    ],
    [
      "0.951492372",
      "0.583924659",
      "0.102453202"
    ],
    [
      "1.010238774",
      "0.102332807",
      "0.102332807"
    ],
    [
      "0.345789032",
      "0.835069998",
      "0.104441644"
    ],
    [
      "0.535868441",
      "0.759651303",
      "0.100053249"
    ],
    [
      "0.514606148",
      "0.284297745",
      "0.100245493"
    ],
    [
      "0.840322316",
      "1.223411265",
      "0.101213859"
    ],
    [
      "1.097525650",
      "0.284702175",
      "0.099849252"
    ],
    [
      "0.808205502",
      "0.099717391",
      "0.099717391"
    ],
    [
      "0.712626165",
      "0.272913528",
      "0.098101494"
    ],
    [
      "0.250176356",
      "0.500170898",
      "0.098600535"
    ],
    [
      "0.809016994",
      "1.419049920",
      "0.096913641"
    ],
    [
      "1.434006090",
      "0.698713808",
      "0.097042747"
    ],
    [
      "1.373106462",
      "0.513657873",
      "0.097776306"
    ],
    [
      "0.817382160",
      "0.436937943",
      "0.096520774"
    ],
    [
      "0.625348671",
      "0.445978562",
      "0.095725405"
    ],
    [
      "0.904541866",
      "0.267651040",
      "0.093886342"
    ],
    [
      "0.382911045",
      "0.639960573",
      "0.094167851"
    ],
    [
      "0.437503613",
      "0.461207435",
      "0.092735955"
    ],
    [
      "1.271677778",
      "0.650258406",
      "0.072363294"
    ],
    [
      "0.983747552",
      "0.412917009",
      "0.071569822"
    ],
    [
      "0.539763996",
      "0.588835807",
      "0.070806661"
    ],
    [
      "0.957569749",
      "1.346180931",
      "0.068548773"
    ]
  ]
}

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

Discuss strategies, share construction methods, or ask questions. Any signed-in user can post under their public byline and unique #UID. New posts appear after moderation.