The minimal volume of simplices containing a convex body (Q1725896): Difference between revisions

Given a compact convex set $K\subset\mathbb{R}^n$ with non-empty interior (a convex body), the authors establish the existence of a simplex $S\supset K$, sharing the same barycenter as $K$ (denoted by $\mathrm{bar}(K)$), such that \[ \big(\mathrm{vol}(S)/\mathrm{vol}(K)\big)^{1/n}\leq dn^{1/2}, \] where $d>0$ is an absolute constant. Moreover, the exponent $1/2$ on $n$ cannot be improved. Also, a partial dual result is proved: Given a convex body $K\subset\mathbb{R}^n$ with $\mathrm{bar}(K)=0$, there exists a simplex $S\subset K$ with $\mathrm{bar}(S)=0$, such that \[ \big(\mathrm{vol}(S)/\mathrm{vol}(K)\big)^{1/n}\geq cn^{-1/2}, \] where $c>0$ is an absolute constant. As the authors mention, one reason why the proof of this works merely with simplices $S$ having barycenter at the origin is that in this case the exact value of their Mahler product: $M(S):=\mathrm{vol}(S)\mathrm{vol}(S^\circ)$ ($S^\circ$ being the polar set of $S$), is known (see Lemma 2.6).