The Heilbronn Problem for Squares

The following pictures show n points inside a unit square so that the area A of the smallest triangle formed by these points is maximized. The smallest area triangles are shown.


3.

A = 1/2 = .5

Trivial.

One of an infinite family of solutions.

Symmetric about a diagonal.


4.

A = 1/2 = .5

Trivial.

Completely symmetric.


5.

A = √3 / 9 = .19245+

Proved optimal by Yang Lu, Zhang Jingzhong, and Zeng Zhenbing in 1991.

Symmetric about a diagonal.


6.

A = 1/8 = .125

Proved optimal by A. Dress, L. Yang, and Z. B. Zeng in 1995.

One of an infinite family of solutions.

Vertically and horizontally symmetric.


7.

A = .08386+

Found by F. Comellas and J. Yebra, December 2001.

Proved optimal by Zhenbing Chen and Liangyu Chen in 2011.

Not symmetric.


8.

A = (√13–1) / 36 = .07237+

Found by F. Comellas and J. Yebra, December 2001.

Proved optimal by L. Dehbi and Z. Zeng in 2022.

180o Rotationally symmetric.


9.

A = (9√65–55) / 320 = .05487+

Found by F. Comellas and J. Yebra, December 2001.

Proved optimal by Nathan Sudermann-Merx in March 2026.

Symmetric about a diagonal.


10.

A = .04654+

Found by F. Comellas and J. Yebra in December 2001.

Symmetric about both diagonals.


11.

A = 1/27 = .03704+

Found by Michael Goldberg in 1972.

Horizontally symmetric.


12.

A = .03260+

Found by F. Comellas and J. Yebra in December 2001.

Completely symmetric.


13.

A = .02702+

Found by Peter Karpov in August 2011.

Not symmetric.


14.

A = .02430+

Found by Mark Beyleveld in August 2006.

Vertically and horizontally symmetric.


15.

A = .02111+

Found by Peter Karpov in August 2011.

Not symmetric.


16.

A = 7 / 341 = .02053+

Found by Mark Beyleveld in August 2006.

180o Rotationally symmetric.


17.




A = .016481+

Found by Tej Stead in July 2026.

Not symmetric.


18.
A = .01459+

Found by Nathan Sudermann-Merx in August 2026.

Vertically and horizontally symmetric.


19.
A = 0.01338+

Found by William Shanley in July 2026.

Not symmetric.


20.
A = 0.01291+

Found by William Shanley in July 2026.

180o Rotationally symmetric.


21.




A = .010814+

Found by Tej Stead in August 2026.

Not symmetric.


22.
A = 0.009569+

Found by Nathan Sudermann-Merx in August 2026.

Symmetric with respect to both diagonals.


23.


A = .008812+

Found by Tej Stead in August 2026.

Not symmetric.





24.



A = .008495+

Found by Marc-Emmanuel Coupvent des Graviers in July 2026.

Completely symmetric.






25.
A = .007243+

Found by Nathan Sudermann-Merx in August 2026.

Not symmetric.


26.
A = .006826+

Found by Nathan Sudermann-Merx in August 2026.

Not symmetric.


27.


A = .006790+

Found by Marc-Emmanuel Coupvent des Graviers in July 2026.

Not symmetric.





28.



A = .006775+

Found by Marc-Emmanuel Coupvent des Graviers in July 2026.

Completely symmetric.






29.
A = .005569+

Found by Nathan Sudermann-Merx in August 2026.

Not symmetric.


30.
A = .005436+

Found by Nathan Sudermann-Merx in August 2026.

Not symmetric.


31.
A = .005041+

Found by Nathan Sudermann-Merx in August 2026.

Not symmetric.


32.
A = .004642+

Found by Nathan Sudermann-Merx in August 2026.

Not symmetric.


33.








A = .004146+

Found by Tej Stead in August 2026.

Not symmetric.


34.



A = .004004+

Found by Tej Stead in August 2026.

Not symmetric.






35.








A = .003702+

Found by Tej Stead in August 2026.

Not symmetric.


More information is available at Mathworld.