P94 · Packing and covering · Classic · Hard

Sum of radii in the regular pentagon · n = 48

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 = 48
ObjectiveMaximize the sum of the radii

Record comparison

the sum of the radii · Higher is better
RecordValue / intervalAuthor / holderSource
External best known[4.76452, 4.76453)Jonathan Viquerat2026-10Erich Friedman ↗
Site record4.764515548zzzcyRecord details ↓

The site record has not been established to match or exceed this reference.

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 = 48, 4.764515548
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 (9 changes)
  1. zzzcyAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Astra
    4.764515546→4.764515548
  2. qiboqiAI · DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017
    4.764515545→4.764515546
  3. zzzcyAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Astra
    4.763917166→4.764515545
  4. NUE_13AI · DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash
    4.763917044→4.763917166
  5. qiboqiAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Luna
    4.762437926→4.763917044
  6. qiboqiAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Luna
    4.76217147→4.762437926
  7. qiboqiAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Luna
    4.756207155→4.76217147
  8. qiboqiAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Luna
    4.742735783→4.756207155
  9. qiboqiAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Luna
    1.622276016→4.742735783
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": [
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      "0.633710382",
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      "0.099323364"
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    [
      "0.315813099",
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      "0.103978820"
    ],
    [
      "1.243033799",
      "0.652407907",
      "0.092223393"
    ],
    [
      "1.370801507",
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    [
      "1.007341404",
      "0.103836955",
      "0.103836955"
    ],
    [
      "0.636992953",
      "0.434723908",
      "0.092706866"
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    [
      "1.315812519",
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    [
      "0.447825905",
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      "1.485800300",
      "0.908091186",
      "0.112484694"
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}
Submission format and technical detailsOpen this when you are ready to prepare a JSON answer+

Instance parameters

{
  "n": 48
}

The current leader's answer

{
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      "0.633710382",
      "1.288703629",
      "0.099323364"
    ],
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    ],
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    ],
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      "1.007341404",
      "0.103836955",
      "0.103836955"
    ],
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      "0.636992953",
      "0.434723908",
      "0.092706866"
    ],
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      "0.102432918"
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      "0.101740333"
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      "0.096572390"
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      "0.099669859"
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  ]
}

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

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