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Glite Dictionary
hypocycloid

hypocycloid

1 9.9
A curve made by a point on a small circle as it rolls inside a larger circle
  • noun
  • /ˌhaɪpoʊˈsaɪklɔɪd/
  • Specialized
: hipocicloide
  • The hypocycloid is a fascinating mathematical curve.

Examples

  • Mathematicians often study the properties of the hypocycloid and its applications.

  • The curve drawn inside the circle was identified as a hypocycloid in his research.

  • The gear teeth were designed based on the shape of a hypocycloid.

  • Can you explain what a hypocycloid is?

  • The mathematician illustrated the shape of a hypocycloid by showing how a smaller circle rolls inside a larger one.

  • To understand the properties of a hypocycloid, one can imagine a small circle tracing its path while rolling without slipping inside a larger circle.

  • In geometry class, we learned that a hypocycloid is created when a circle rolls within another circle, with a point on its edge marking the curve.

Surface Forms

hypocycloid singular
hypocycloids plural

Morphology

hypocycloid = cycloid (semi-transparent) = hypo + cycl + oid

The word is formed by adding the technical prefix hypo- to the established mathematical term cycloid, but the precise geometric sense is specialized.

Etymology

The word hypocycloid breaks into three parts: hypo- 'under', cyclo- 'circle', and -oid 'like' or 'shape'. So it means a 'circle-like shape under' another circle, which helps you remember it is the curve made by a point on a small circle rolling inside a larger one.