WOLFRAM|DEMONSTRATIONS PROJECT

2-by-n Disk-Packing Paradox

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window
details
The top box shows that it is easy to place
2n
unit diameter disks in a
2×n
rectangle, namely by fitting two disks at a time side by side.
At first glance this seems to be the best possible for any
n
.
It is therefore surprising that if
n
is sufficiently large more disks can be packed.
The lower rectangle shows how a
2×164
rectangle can be filled with 329 unit disks.
There are seven disks at each end and 105 sets of three disks in the middle.