# Geometry problem **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 22, 2019, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geometry-problem/843836 "2019-11-22T20:36:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geometry-problem/843836/1 "2019-11-22T20:36:10Z")
What is the diameter of the smallest circle that can encompass a given set of 2D points? Points may lie on the circle. Can this be done analytically? Looking for a general solution. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geometry-problem/843836/2 "2019-11-22T20:43:44Z")
> **[Smallest-circle problem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallest-circle_problem)** > > The smallest-circle problem (also known as minimum covering circle problem, bounding circle problem, least bounding circle problem, smallest enclosing circle problem) is a mathematical problem of computing the smallest circle that contains all of a given set of points in the Euclidean plane. The corresponding problem in n-dimensional space, the smallest bounding sphere problem, is to compute the smallest n-sphere that contains all of a given set of points. The smallest-circle problem was initi Th... ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geometry-problem/843836/3 "2019-11-22T20:50:47Z")
That seems to cover it. Thanks!