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Point nearer the centre of a square than its sides

Question

Choose a point uniformly at random inside a square. What is the probability that the point is closer to the square's centre than to the nearest side of the square?

Short answer

42−53≈0.219\tfrac{4\sqrt2-5}{3}\approx0.219. Take the square [−1,1]2[-1,1]^2; in the quarter where the right side is nearest, the condition x2+y2<1−x\sqrt{x^2+y^2}<1-x is the parabola region x<1−y22x<\tfrac{1-y^2}{2}. Intersecting with ∣y∣≤x|y|\le x (where ∣y∣≤2−1|y|\le\sqrt2-1) and integrating gives the result, confirmed by simulation.

Adapted from Wilmott, Frequently Asked Questions in Quantitative Finance, ch. 10 brainteaser 'Closer to the edge or the centre?', p.353; question and answer rewritten by SelfMadeQuant.com.

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