On the reverse isodiametric problem and Dvoretzky-Rogers-type volume bounds

Abstract

The isodiametric inequality states that the Euclidean ball maximizes the volume among all convex bodies of a given diameter. We are motivated by a conjecture of Makai Jr.~on the reverse question: Every convex body has a linear image whose isodiametric quotient is at least as large as that of a regular simplex. We relate this reverse isodiametric problem to minimal volume enclosing ellipsoids and to the Dvoretzky-Rogers-type problem of finding large volume simplices in any decomposition of the identity matrix. As a result, we solve the reverse isodiametric problem for $o$-symmetric convex bodies and obtain a strong asymptotic bound in the general case. Using the Cauchy-Binet formula for minors of a product of matrices, we obtain Dvoretzky-Rogers-type volume bounds which are of independent interest.