18 Apr
2004
18 Apr
'04
2:25 a.m.
The problem involving five unit disks gives rise to Neville's constant. ~ .6093828640807096546777101695986736315096819515809997683472565, a root of 1296*x^8+2112*x^7-3480*x^6+1360*x^5+1665*x^4-1776*x^3+22*x^2-800*x+625 . See Proc. London Math. Soc. 14 (1915) 308--326 for his original paper. See my book "Mathematical Constants", pp. 484--488 for the latest developments. Best wishes, or for the impecunious, http://www.mathsoft.com/mathresources/constants/geometryconstant/article/0,,...