diff --git a/constants/41a.md b/constants/41a.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..25dde6c --- /dev/null +++ b/constants/41a.md @@ -0,0 +1,48 @@ +# Moving Sofa Constant + +## Description of constant + +The moving sofa constant $A$ is the maximum area of a connected, rigid planar shape that can maneuver through an L-shaped corridor of unit width. +The corridor is formed by two semi-infinite strips of width 1 meeting at a right angle. +The problem asks for the shape of the largest area (the "sofa") that can be moved from one end of the corridor to the other by a continuous rigid motion (translation and rotation). + +## Known upper bounds + +| Bound | Reference | Comments | +| ----- | --------- | -------- | +| $2 \sqrt{2}$ | [Hammersley1968] | Initial upper bound | +| 2.37 | [kallus2018] | The current best upper bound, proved using a computer-assisted proof scheme. | + +## Known lower bounds + +| Bound | Reference | Comments | +| ----- | --------- | -------- | +| $\pi/2 + 2/\pi$ | [Hammersley1968] | Initial lower bound | +| 2.2195 | [Gerver1992] | The current best lower bound | + +## Additional comments + +It was claimed in a recent preprint [baek2024] that Gerver's sofa [Gerver1992] is the optimal solution, which if true would solve the moving sofa problem. + +## References + +- [Hammersley1968] Dr. J. M. Hammersley (1968). +On the enfeeblement of mathematical skills by modern mathematics and by similar soft intellectual trash in schools and universities. Bulletin of the Institute of Mathematics and Its Applications. +4: 66–85. See Appendix IV, Problems, Problem 8, p. 84. + +- [kallus2018] Kallus, Y., & Romik, D. (2018). +Improved upper bounds in the moving sofa problem. +Advances in Mathematics, 340, 960-982. + +- [Gerver1992] Gerver, Joseph L. (1992). +On Moving a Sofa Around a Corner. +Geometriae Dedicata. +42 (3): 267–283. + +- [baek2024] Baek, J. (2024). +Optimality of Gerver's Sofa. +arXiv preprint arXiv:2411.19826. + +## Contribution notes + +Prepared with assistance from Gemini 3 Pro.