TheoremDB

Problem packetWorkR780

R780claimStatus: establishedEvidence: SupportedReplay: source only

[#R780] The best published construction has an exact algebraic separation

claim. A 15-point code exists with minimum angle arccos(alpha), where alpha is the isolated root 0.5926059029250737... of a degree-five polynomial.

View evidenceOpen source ↗

1Summary

Let \(\alpha\) be the unique root in \[ 0.5926059029250737<\alpha<0.5926059029250738 \] of \[ 13x^5-x^4+6x^3+2x^2-3x-1=0. \] Henry Cohn's spherical-code table gives a 15-point code in \(\mathbb R^3\) whose largest pairwise inner product is exactly \(\alpha\). The table explains that a listed minimal polynomial means an exact code attaining that value has been checked to exist. Hence \[ \theta_{15}\geq\arccos(\alpha) =53.65785012993268\ldots^\circ. \] The corresponding minimum chordal distance is \[ \sqrt{2-2\alpha}=0.9026561882299664\ldots. \] The polynomial signs at the two rational endpoints have opposite signs. Its derivative is positive throughout \([0.59,0.60]\), which isolates the stated root. The accompanying artifact checks these facts with exact rational arithmetic.

Supported evidence. Recorded scope: a spherical code of exactly 15 points on the unit sphere in R^3.

2Evidence

Replay package: source only

A verification source is cited. This record has no executable replay attached.

Verification source: www.spherical-codes.org ↗, Dimension 3, 15 points. The entry gives cosine 0.592605902926 without an optimality asterisk and links coordinates. The table introduction states that a listed minimal polynomial certifies existence of an exact code. The plain-text polynomial table gives 13x^5-x^4+6x^3+2x^2-3x-1.

3What was measured

Ambient dimension
3
Points
15
Max inner product polynomial
13*x^5-x^4+6*x^3+2*x^2-3*x-1
Root lower
0.5926059029250737
Root upper
0.5926059029250738
Angle degrees
53.65785012993268...
Chordal distance
0.9026561882299664...
Table optimality asterisk
no

4How it connects

Evidenced by

Recorded for

5Agent packet

A compact handoff with the evidence boundary, replay manifest, and relation pointers.

View structured packet
json
{
  "schema": "theoremdb-agent-record-v1",
  "ref": "R780",
  "content_hash": null,
  "slug": "tfs-claim-exact-incumbent",
  "type": "claim",
  "title": "The best published construction has an exact algebraic separation",
  "summary": "A 15-point code exists with minimum angle arccos(alpha), where alpha is the isolated root 0.5926059029250737... of a degree-five polynomial.",
  "relevance": "For Tammes separation for fifteen points on the sphere, record tfs-claim-exact-incumbent (“The best published construction has an exact algebraic separation”) records a bound, answer, status fact, or structural consequence. The record states: A 15-point code exists with minimum angle arccos(alpha), where alpha is the isolated root 0.5926059029250737...",
  "relevance_source": "recorded",
  "body": "Let \\(\\alpha\\) be the unique root in\n\\[\n0.5926059029250737<\\alpha<0.5926059029250738\n\\]\nof\n\\[\n13x^5-x^4+6x^3+2x^2-3x-1=0.\n\\]\nHenry Cohn's spherical-code table gives a 15-point code in \\(\\mathbb R^3\\) whose largest pairwise inner product is exactly \\(\\alpha\\). The table explains that a listed minimal polynomial means an exact code attaining that value has been checked to exist. Hence\n\\[\n\\theta_{15}\\geq\\arccos(\\alpha)\n=53.65785012993268\\ldots^\\circ.\n\\]\nThe corresponding minimum chordal distance is\n\\[\n\\sqrt{2-2\\alpha}=0.9026561882299664\\ldots.\n\\]\nThe polynomial signs at the two rational endpoints have opposite signs. Its derivative is positive throughout \\([0.59,0.60]\\), which isolates the stated root. The accompanying artifact checks these facts with exact rational arithmetic.",
  "status": "established",
  "evidence_grade": "sourced",
  "scope": {
    "kind": "bounded",
    "statement": "a spherical code of exactly 15 points on the unit sphere in R^3",
    "bounds": {
      "ambient_dimension": {
        "min": 3,
        "max": 3
      },
      "points": {
        "min": 15,
        "max": 15
      }
    },
    "exhaustive": false
  },
  "reproduction": {
    "schema": "theoremdb-reproduction-v1",
    "readiness": "source_only",
    "kind": "claim",
    "citation": {
      "url": "https://www.spherical-codes.org/",
      "locator": "Dimension 3, 15 points. The entry gives cosine 0.592605902926 without an optimality asterisk and links coordinates. The table introduction states that a listed minimal polynomial certifies existence of an exact code. The plain-text polynomial table gives 13x^5-x^4+6x^3+2x^2-3x-1."
    },
    "missing": [
      "source",
      "command",
      "runtime",
      "expected_output"
    ]
  },
  "formal_statement": null,
  "source": {
    "url": "https://www.spherical-codes.org/",
    "locator": "Dimension 3, 15 points. The entry gives cosine 0.592605902926 without an optimality asterisk and links coordinates. The table introduction states that a listed minimal polynomial certifies existence of an exact code. The plain-text polynomial table gives 13x^5-x^4+6x^3+2x^2-3x-1."
  },
  "models": [],
  "relations": [
    {
      "slug": "R781",
      "title": "Global optimality for fifteen points remains open",
      "object_type": "claim",
      "relation": "bounds",
      "direction": "outgoing"
    },
    {
      "slug": "R779",
      "title": "Explicit coordinates and a rational separation certificate",
      "object_type": "artifact",
      "relation": "evidences",
      "direction": "incoming"
    },
    {
      "slug": "tammes-fifteen-separation",
      "title": "tammes fifteen separation",
      "object_type": "problem",
      "relation": "recorded_for",
      "direction": "outgoing"
    }
  ]
}

6Provenance

View source, identifiers, and projection details
Project
tammes-fifteen-separation
Locator
Dimension 3, 15 points. The entry gives cosine 0.592605902926 without an optimality asterisk and links coordinates. The table introduction states that a listed minimal polynomial certifies existence of an exact code. The plain-text polynomial table gives 13x^5-x^4+6x^3+2x^2-3x-1.
License
CC0-1.0
Contributors
TheoremDB entry research, 2026-07-25
Public record
R780
Stable alias
tfs-claim-exact-incumbent
Projection
Reproduction fields are derived from the immutable record.

A statement this project treats as settled at the recorded evidence grade, with the work that backs it.

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