July 2005
Answer:
Start with the n "small" coins in the rectangle. Replace each one with a "big" coin of twice the radius, at the same center.
Claim that these completely cover the rectangle; otherwise, a point not covered could serve as the center of a new "small" coin that would not have overlapped with any of the original "small" coins. Now since n "big" coins cover a rectangle of dimension L by W, then n "small" coins will cover a rectangle of dimension L/2 by W/2 (just shrink the whole picture), and four copies of that -- 4n "small" coins -- will cover the original L by W rectangle.
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