Is it the smallest?

Geometry Level 2

Given two non-overlapping circles of radii 17 17 and 99 99 , what is the smallest square which can contain them?

If the side length of such a square is s s , submit 100 s \left\lfloor 100s \right\rfloor .


The answer is 19802.

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2 solutions

Chew-Seong Cheong
Oct 16, 2020

As shown in the figure, the side length of the smallest square is s = 99 + ( 99 + 17 ) cos 4 5 + 17 198.024 100 s = 19802 s = 99 + (99+17) \cos 45^\circ + 17 \approx 198.024 \implies \lfloor 100s \rfloor = \boxed{19802} .


Proof: This is in response to @Thanos Petropoulos 's question. Referring to the figure above. The left side and the bottom side of the square are as tight fit as possible. Any variation in the square size comes from the right and top sides. Basically it depends on relative position of the small circle with the large circle. We have placed the small circle touching the big circle so as to be as tight as possible. Now the relative positions of the two circles only depend on the angle between the line joining the two circle centers and the x x -axis or any other reference line. Let take the x x -axis for convenient and call the angle θ \theta . In the figure θ = 4 5 \theta = 45^\circ . It can be seen that if θ < 4 5 \theta < 45^\circ , the further right point of the small circle moves to the right or x x -direction hence increasing the size of the square. If θ > 4 5 \theta > 45^\circ , it increases the y y -dimension and hence the size of the square. In fact the size of the square is symmetrical about y = x y=x or the 4 5 45^\circ -line. Anyway, I provide a mathematical proof here.

Consider 0 θ 4 5 0^\circ \le \theta \le 45^\circ , all other ranges of θ \theta are reflection of this range. Then the side length of the square is given by a ( θ ) = 99 + 116 cos θ + 17 = 116 ( 1 + cos θ a (\theta) = 99+116 \cos \theta + 17 = 116(1+\cos \theta . a ( θ a(\theta is smallest when cos θ \cos \theta is smallest. For 0 θ 4 5 0^\circ \le \theta \le 45^\circ , cos θ \cos \theta is smallest when θ = 4 5 \theta = 45^\circ . For 4 5 θ 9 0 45^\circ \le \theta \le 90^\circ , a ( θ ) = 116 ( 1 + sin θ a(\theta) = 116(1+\red{\sin \theta} . Again a ( θ ) a(\theta) is smallest when θ = 4 5 \theta = 45^\circ .

@Chew-Seong Cheong , Thanks for your response. One small addition: the side length of the smallest square is 99 + ( 99 + 17 ) cos 45 + 17 99+\left( 99+17 \right)\cos 45{}^\circ +17 , because this exceeds 198 198 . Otherwise, the minimum side length would be exactly 198 198 and the smaller circle wouldn’t be tangent to two sides of the square and the big circle simultaneously. Thanks again for giving time in solving my problems.

Thanos Petropoulos - 7 months, 3 weeks ago

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Yes. I noticed that too.

Chew-Seong Cheong - 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Richard Desper
Oct 16, 2020

For the tightest fit, consider a square as in the picture, with the smaller circle tangent to two adjacent sides of the square, the larger circle tangent to the two opposite sides, and the two circles tangent to each other. The distance between the two centers is 17 + 99 = 116 17 + 99 = 116 .

To find the width of this square, we add the lengths of the two radii to the side length of the right isosceles triangle whose hypotenuse connects the two circles' centers. With a hypotenuse length of 116 116 , the two legs each have length 116 2 = 82.024 \frac{116}{\sqrt{2}} = 82.024 . Thus the side length of the square is 116 + 82.024 = 198.024 116 + 82.024 = 198.024 .

Note that 198 198 is the minimal side length possible for a square containing a circle of radius 99 99 . What I've calculated is the horizontal distance from the left side of the larger circle to the right side of the smaller circle. Had this quantity been less than 198 198 , the answer would have been 198 198 .

@Richard Desper , @Chew-Seong Cheong . How do you know that this is the tightest fit?

Thanos Petropoulos - 7 months, 3 weeks ago

@Thanos Petropoulos , @Richard Desper , see my proof.

Chew-Seong Cheong - 7 months, 3 weeks ago

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