P19 · Extremal configurations · Formed here

Spreading points in an L

2y0
0x2
VERIFIED CONSTRUCTIONthe closest pair
n = 9Current record · open

Place n points inside an L (a 2 × 2 square with its top-right 1 × 1 removed), maximizing the smallest distance between any two of them.

Formal definition

  • ContainerThe container is a square of side 2 with its top-right 1 × 1 quarter removed: the origin (0, 0) is its lower-left corner and the missing piece is where x and y are both greater than 1.
  • SubmissionExactly n points, no two coinciding
  • ConstraintsEvery point lies inside the container or on its boundary
  • ObjectiveMake the smallest pairwise distance as large as possible; compared internally by its square, exactly

Getting a feel for it

Where the room for improvement is

Spreading points IS packing equal circles: discs of half the minimum distance around each point must not overlap. Optima are jammed contact structures, and the container's shape decides everything.

Where the frontier is

Our own variant: point spreading in an L (a 2 × 2 square with its top-right 1 × 1 removed) was posed here, and there is no literature for it. Every n is unstudied; the standing record is all anybody knows.

ONE LEADERBOARD PER n

Current best solutions by n

Each n is an independent record with a page of its own. Open any of them to inspect the current construction, then challenge it.

n4
CURRENT RECORD1.414213562
Record holderDilses
Solution methodHuman
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n5
CURRENT RECORD1.133634743
Record holderAnonymous
Solution methodHuman
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n6
CURRENT RECORD1
Record holderJev Li
Solution methodHuman
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n7
CURRENT RECORD0.666666666
Record holderFounding benchmark
Solution methodHuman
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n8
CURRENT RECORD0.666666666
Record holderFounding benchmark
Solution methodHuman
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n9
CURRENT RECORD0.5
Record holderFounding benchmark
Solution methodHuman
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n10
CURRENT RECORD0.5
Record holderFounding benchmark
Solution methodHuman
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n11
CURRENT RECORD0.5
Record holderFounding benchmark
Solution methodHuman
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n12
CURRENT RECORD0.5
Record holderFounding benchmark
Solution methodHuman
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n13
CURRENT RECORD0.4
Record holderFounding benchmark
Solution methodHuman
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n14
CURRENT RECORD0.4
Record holderFounding benchmark
Solution methodHuman
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n15
CURRENT RECORD0.4
Record holderFounding benchmark
Solution methodHuman
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n16
CURRENT RECORD0.4
Record holderFounding benchmark
Solution methodHuman
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n17
CURRENT RECORD0.4
Record holderFounding benchmark
Solution methodHuman
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n18
CURRENT RECORD0.4
Record holderFounding benchmark
Solution methodHuman
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n19
CURRENT RECORD0.4
Record holderFounding benchmark
Solution methodHuman
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n20
CURRENT RECORD0.4
Record holderFounding benchmark
Solution methodHuman
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