P86 · Packing and covering · Classic · Hard

Regular pentagons in a square · n = 27

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

Instancen = 27
ObjectiveMinimize container square side

Record comparison

container square side · Lower is better
RecordValue / intervalAuthor / holderSource
External best known[7.66091, 7.66092)Joshua Wolk2026-09Erich Friedman ↗
Site record7.660913463zzzcyRecord details ↓

Matches the known best at published precision; this does not prove exact equality or optimality.

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 = 27, 7.660913463
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
    7.679480071→7.660913463
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": "0.324919696",
      "x": "0.191777361",
      "y": "0.270947478"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.158384440",
      "x": "0.500104619",
      "y": "0.767091769"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.075021008",
      "x": "0.496227118",
      "y": "0.431041414"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.246711020",
      "x": "0.409188040",
      "y": "0.263325011"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.265965773",
      "x": "0.708297063",
      "y": "0.101270127"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.324196921",
      "x": "0.709300746",
      "y": "0.421705085"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.292796427",
      "x": "0.404595538",
      "y": "0.592314579"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.797858328",
      "y": "0.581881812"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.000653896",
      "x": "0.802452668",
      "y": "0.263008676"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.191054495",
      "x": "0.500184772",
      "y": "0.093786070"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.295056620",
      "y": "0.426298765"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.158384440",
      "x": "0.715208929",
      "y": "0.765376644"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.089831450",
      "y": "0.734229725"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.054264519",
      "x": "0.602204898",
      "y": "0.251720793"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.324919696",
      "x": "0.203917219",
      "y": "0.585594532"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.158384440",
      "x": "0.391372131",
      "y": "0.910168550"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.158384440",
      "x": "0.608837107",
      "y": "0.910168550"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.158384440",
      "x": "0.285458165",
      "y": "0.764592428"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.324919696",
      "x": "0.910168550",
      "y": "0.732960836"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.047115333",
      "x": "0.291360889",
      "y": "0.108361528"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.324919696",
      "x": "0.910168550",
      "y": "0.420556350"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.089831450",
      "y": "0.105603203"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.324919696",
      "x": "0.910168550",
      "y": "0.105603203"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.000648423",
      "x": "0.089918992",
      "y": "0.436638000"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.166324423",
      "x": "0.602967180",
      "y": "0.586429855"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.158384440",
      "x": "0.821580751",
      "y": "0.910168550"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.158384440",
      "x": "0.180165724",
      "y": "0.910168550"
    }
  ],
  "radius": "0.111037778"
}
Submission format and technical detailsOpen this when you are ready to prepare a JSON answer+

Instance parameters

{
  "n": 27,
  "sides": 5
}

The current leader's answer

{
  "placements": [
    {
      "turn": "0.324919696",
      "x": "0.191777361",
      "y": "0.270947478"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.158384440",
      "x": "0.500104619",
      "y": "0.767091769"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.075021008",
      "x": "0.496227118",
      "y": "0.431041414"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.246711020",
      "x": "0.409188040",
      "y": "0.263325011"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.265965773",
      "x": "0.708297063",
      "y": "0.101270127"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.324196921",
      "x": "0.709300746",
      "y": "0.421705085"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.292796427",
      "x": "0.404595538",
      "y": "0.592314579"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.797858328",
      "y": "0.581881812"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.000653896",
      "x": "0.802452668",
      "y": "0.263008676"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.191054495",
      "x": "0.500184772",
      "y": "0.093786070"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.295056620",
      "y": "0.426298765"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.158384440",
      "x": "0.715208929",
      "y": "0.765376644"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.089831450",
      "y": "0.734229725"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.054264519",
      "x": "0.602204898",
      "y": "0.251720793"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.324919696",
      "x": "0.203917219",
      "y": "0.585594532"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.158384440",
      "x": "0.391372131",
      "y": "0.910168550"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.158384440",
      "x": "0.608837107",
      "y": "0.910168550"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.158384440",
      "x": "0.285458165",
      "y": "0.764592428"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.324919696",
      "x": "0.910168550",
      "y": "0.732960836"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.047115333",
      "x": "0.291360889",
      "y": "0.108361528"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.324919696",
      "x": "0.910168550",
      "y": "0.420556350"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.089831450",
      "y": "0.105603203"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.324919696",
      "x": "0.910168550",
      "y": "0.105603203"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.000648423",
      "x": "0.089918992",
      "y": "0.436638000"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.166324423",
      "x": "0.602967180",
      "y": "0.586429855"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.158384440",
      "x": "0.821580751",
      "y": "0.910168550"
    },
    {
      "turn": "-0.158384440",
      "x": "0.180165724",
      "y": "0.910168550"
    }
  ],
  "radius": "0.111037778"
}

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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