P86 · Packing and covering · Classic · Hard

Regular pentagons in a square · n = 26

Pack n unit-side regular pentagons into a square. Contact is allowed; interiors cannot overlap. Minimise the container square side.

Instancen = 26
ObjectiveMinimize container square side

Record comparison

container square side · Lower is better
RecordValue / intervalAuthor / holderSource
External best known[7.57345, 7.57346)Joshua Wolk2026-09Erich Friedman ↗
Site record7.573449421zzzcyRecord details ↓

Numerically exceeds the published range · awaiting review.

Formal definition

  • ContainerThe editor and certificate normalise the container to the unit square [0,1]², while public scores are reported in the literature's unit-piece scale. Boundary contact is allowed.
  • SubmissionSubmit {radius, placements:[{x,y,turn},…]}, with each value written as a decimal string of at most nine places. Here x, y are centre coordinates; circles require turn = 0 and polygons use turn = tan(θ/2). Coordinates and turn must lie in [−4, 4], with 0 < radius ≤ 4.
  • ConstraintsExactly n congruent pieces lie wholly inside the container with pairwise disjoint interiors. Polygons may rotate independently by arbitrary angles.
  • PrecisionInput decimals are parsed as exact rationals and regular-polygon vertices are defined algebraically, with zero floating-point tolerance in feasibility checks.
  • ObjectiveContainer square side = 1/(2 sin(π/5) r), where smaller is better. Pages, leaderboards, and literature records share this unit with automatic conversion.
Open full editor ↗

Layout shown: site record

VERIFIED CONSTRUCTIONVERIFIED CONSTRUCTION

Getting a feel for it

Literature targets and coordinate certificates

Literature targets are converted at their published precision, while nine-decimal coordinate certificates are stored and displayed alongside the source values.

Source
The record-holding arrangement for Regular pentagons in a square n = 26, 7.573449421
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 (1 changes)
  1. zzzcyAI · OpenAI: GPT-6 Astra
    7.581760052→7.573449421
ANSWER FORMAT

How to write your answer

the unit square [0,1]²

Submit {radius, placements:[{x,y,turn},…]}, with each value written as a decimal string of at most nine places. Here x, y are centre coordinates; circles require turn = 0 and polygons use turn = tan(θ/2). Coordinates and turn must lie in [−4, 4], with 0 < radius ≤ 4.

The current leader's answer

{
  "placements": [
    {
      "turn": "-0.158384440",
      "x": "0.818262214",
      "y": "0.909131107"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.324919696",
      "x": "0.909131107",
      "y": "0.730790863"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.090868893",
      "y": "0.690352549"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.324919696",
      "x": "0.909131107",
      "y": "0.309647452"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.090868893",
      "y": "0.269209137"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.158384440",
      "x": "0.181737786",
      "y": "0.090868893"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.157318315",
      "x": "0.107028927",
      "y": "0.908568607"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.159450917",
      "x": "0.892971073",
      "y": "0.091431393"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.158384440",
      "x": "0.604616634",
      "y": "0.909131107"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.158384440",
      "x": "0.395383366",
      "y": "0.090868893"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.247281847",
      "x": "0.662013393",
      "y": "0.576164476"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.071863824",
      "x": "0.337986607",
      "y": "0.423835524"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.131894169",
      "x": "0.499472456",
      "y": "0.756801541"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.185093349",
      "x": "0.500527544",
      "y": "0.243198459"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.158384440",
      "x": "0.711439424",
      "y": "0.762102150"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.247281848",
      "x": "0.247024652",
      "y": "0.581619743"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.071863825",
      "x": "0.752975347",
      "y": "0.418380257"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.158384440",
      "x": "0.288560576",
      "y": "0.237897850"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.185093349",
      "x": "0.395275924",
      "y": "0.905829488"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.131894169",
      "x": "0.604724076",
      "y": "0.094170512"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.185093349",
      "x": "0.452150969",
      "y": "0.577276330"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.131894169",
      "x": "0.547849031",
      "y": "0.422723670"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.247281847",
      "x": "0.900624690",
      "y": "0.527243247"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.071863824",
      "x": "0.099375310",
      "y": "0.472756753"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.131894169",
      "x": "0.276357453",
      "y": "0.768271331"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.185093349",
      "x": "0.723642547",
      "y": "0.231728669"
    }
  ],
  "radius": "0.112320128"
}
Submission format and technical detailsOpen this when you are ready to prepare a JSON answer+

Instance parameters

{
  "n": 26,
  "sides": 5
}

The current leader's answer

{
  "placements": [
    {
      "turn": "-0.158384440",
      "x": "0.818262214",
      "y": "0.909131107"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.324919696",
      "x": "0.909131107",
      "y": "0.730790863"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.090868893",
      "y": "0.690352549"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.324919696",
      "x": "0.909131107",
      "y": "0.309647452"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.090868893",
      "y": "0.269209137"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.158384440",
      "x": "0.181737786",
      "y": "0.090868893"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.157318315",
      "x": "0.107028927",
      "y": "0.908568607"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.159450917",
      "x": "0.892971073",
      "y": "0.091431393"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.158384440",
      "x": "0.604616634",
      "y": "0.909131107"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.158384440",
      "x": "0.395383366",
      "y": "0.090868893"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.247281847",
      "x": "0.662013393",
      "y": "0.576164476"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.071863824",
      "x": "0.337986607",
      "y": "0.423835524"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.131894169",
      "x": "0.499472456",
      "y": "0.756801541"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.185093349",
      "x": "0.500527544",
      "y": "0.243198459"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.158384440",
      "x": "0.711439424",
      "y": "0.762102150"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.247281848",
      "x": "0.247024652",
      "y": "0.581619743"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.071863825",
      "x": "0.752975347",
      "y": "0.418380257"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.158384440",
      "x": "0.288560576",
      "y": "0.237897850"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.185093349",
      "x": "0.395275924",
      "y": "0.905829488"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.131894169",
      "x": "0.604724076",
      "y": "0.094170512"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.185093349",
      "x": "0.452150969",
      "y": "0.577276330"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.131894169",
      "x": "0.547849031",
      "y": "0.422723670"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.247281847",
      "x": "0.900624690",
      "y": "0.527243247"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.071863824",
      "x": "0.099375310",
      "y": "0.472756753"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.131894169",
      "x": "0.276357453",
      "y": "0.768271331"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.185093349",
      "x": "0.723642547",
      "y": "0.231728669"
    }
  ],
  "radius": "0.112320128"
}

Submit {radius, placements:[{x,y,turn},…]}, with each value written as a decimal string of at most nine places. Here x, y are centre coordinates; circles require turn = 0 and polygons use turn = tan(θ/2). Coordinates and turn must lie in [−4, 4], with 0 < radius ≤ 4. · Verifier v1.0.0

DISCUSSION

Discussion

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