Separating point sets with a circle
Lemma 1
If S is a bounded set of points in the plane then there is a
smallest closed disk that contains S.
Proof
Since S is bounded, there is a disk of radius d that contains
S. The set of disks of radius d or less that contain S is compact, so there is a smallest one.
Lemma 2
If S is any set of points in the plane there is at most one
smallest closed disk that contains them.
Proof
Consider two disks of radius r with distance 2d between their
centers. There is a disk of radius sqrt(r2 - d2) that contains their
intersection.
Lemma 3
If S is a finite set of points in the plane then the unique
smallest closed disk that contains S either has two points of S as
endpoints of a diameter or has three points of S on its boundary.
Proof
Let D be the unique smallest disk that contains S. If its
boundary contains no points of S then translate it until its boundary
contains one (or more). Rotate it around that point until its
boundary contains two points of S (or more). Move its center closer
to the line segment joining those points until either its center is on
that segment or else there are three points of S on its boundary (or more).
Theorem
Let S be a finite set of points in the plane such that no 4
points in S are cocyclic. Let D be a smallest closed disk that
contains at least n points of S (such a D exists because there are
finitely many n-element subsets to try). Then D contains exactly n
points of S.
Proof
Let D contain exactly points of S. For the sake of
contradiction, assume m > n. Let D intersection S = T. Then D is the
smallest closed disk containing T. If two points of T are endpoints
of a diameter of D then let P be one of those points, otherwise let P
be any point in T that is also in the boundary of D. Let D' be the
smallest closed disk containing T-P. If P is in D', then D' is a
smallest closed disk containing T, so D = D'. Since no 4 points in S
are cocyclic, the boundary of D' contains at most two points of T-P and
those two points are not endpoints of a diameter, contradicting Lemma
3. Thus P is not in D', so D' contains exactly m-1 points of S. D'
is smaller than D, or or else D is a smallest closed disk containing
T-P, but there can be only one. Since m-1 n, D wasn't really the smallest closed disk containing at least n points of S.
To solve your problem dilate D slightly, so that n points are inside
and n points are outside.

Copyright © 1996-2008 Alexander Bogomolny
|