# Path from $(1,1)$ to $(4,4)$ with least number of lattice points within a certain distance

I feel that this problem is too obvious, this makes me really confused. If someone could just confirm whether I am right or wrong would be awesome.

We consider paths from (1, 1) to (4, 4) in the Cartesian plane. Now check each point having integer coordinates, such as (2, 3) or (0, 4), and color it blue if it lies within 0.95 units of some point on the path. What is the smallest possible number of blue points one could obtain?

I simply think that you can go from (1,1) to (4,1) then up to (4,4) leaving a total of 7 blue dots.

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But is that the smallest possible number of blue points? Or are there other paths that would give fewer points? You would need to prove that 7 is the smallest possible number of blue points. –  Arturo Magidin Nov 1 '11 at 3:54
Hi, thanks for the response. Yeah you are right I do need to prove it, but I wanted a confirmation from someone on my answer. –  Kevin Xu Nov 1 '11 at 4:10
Maybe you should think of a better name for your question. This one is too vague. –  Oltarus Nov 1 '11 at 7:44

Think of the analogous problem where the path goes from $(1,1)$ to $(2,2)$. The "obvious" piecewise linear path through $(2,1)$ would have 3 blue dots. Clearly there will be at least 2 blue dots, namely $(1,1)$ and $(2,2)$ themselves. Can you prove that no matter what the path is, there must be at least a 3rd blue dot somewhere?
+1 for iterative thinking, I think it may be the only way to prove that: first from $(1;1)$ to $(2;2)$, then to $(3;3)$ and then to $(n;m)$ –  Oltarus Nov 1 '11 at 7:42
Of course, some paths from $(1,1)$ to $(4,4)$ start out going southwest and circle way around and never get close to $(2,2)$.... –  Greg Martin Nov 1 '11 at 20:34