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Gruber P. Convex and Discrete Geometry

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452 <strong>Geometry</strong> of Numbers<br />

C + s<br />

At<br />

C + t<br />

C + r<br />

C + u<br />

C + v At<br />

C + w<br />

C + t<br />

Fig. 30.2. Packing with triangular discs<br />

Let L be the lattice with basis r −t, s −t. Then {C +t +l : l ∈ L} is a lattice packing<br />

of C + t. It contains C + r, C + s, C + t. Since � At ∪ (C + t) + l : l ∈ L � is a lattice<br />

tiling, d(L) = A � At ∪ (C + t) � = A(At) + A(C). Thus,<br />

(4) the density of C + t in At ∪ (C + t), that is A(C)/ � A(At) + A(C) � , equals<br />

the density of the lattice packing {C + t + l : l ∈ L}.<br />

Second, there is a translate C + u, u ∈ T which overlaps A.<br />

Choose two translates C + v,C + w, not necessarily from the given packing,<br />

such that C + v,C + w touch C + t at the left <strong>and</strong> right vertex of C + t, respectively,<br />

<strong>and</strong> C + u at the right vertex of C + v <strong>and</strong> the left vertex of C + w, respectively.<br />

Since C is strictly convex, the discs C + v,C + w are unique. The translates C +<br />

v,C + u, C + w, C + t enclose a region At, say. Since diam At = diam bd At,<br />

(5) diam At ≤ 3diamC.<br />

Since no translate C + p, p ∈ T, can overlap At, we see that<br />

(6) each point of At is connected to a point of C + t by a vertical line segment<br />

<strong>and</strong> this line segment does not meet any translate C + p, p ∈ T \{t}.<br />

Let L be the lattice with basis v − t,w − t. Then {C + t + l : l ∈ L} is a lattice<br />

packing of C containing C + v,C + w, C + t, C + u. (The lattice translation v − t<br />

maps C +w onto C +v +w−t <strong>and</strong> the latter meets C +w at its left vertex. Similarly,<br />

C + v + w − t meets C + v at its right vertex. Since C is strictly convex, C + u is<br />

the unique translate which meets C + v at its right <strong>and</strong> C + w at its left vertex, we<br />

see that C + u = C + v + w − t.) Since � At ∪ (C + t) + l : l ∈ L � is a tiling,<br />

d(L) = A � At ∪ (C + t) � = A(At) + A(C). Thus<br />

(7) the density of C + t in At ∪ (C + t), that is A(C)/ � A(At) + A(C) � equals<br />

the density of the lattice packing {C + t + l : l ∈ L}.<br />

Propositions (2), (5); (3), (6); <strong>and</strong> (4), (7) imply (i), (ii) <strong>and</strong> (iii) in (1), respectively,<br />

concluding the proof of (1).<br />

An immediate consequence of (1) is the following:<br />

(8) Let C be a triangular disc. Then the upper density of a packing of translates<br />

of C never exceeds the density of the densest lattice packing of C.

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