simple closed curve
- noun
- Specialized
:
curva cerrada simple
- A circle is an example of a simple closed curve in the plane.
Examples
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The boundary of a region in geometry is often a simple closed curve.
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Mathematicians study the properties of a simple closed curve to understand concepts like inside and outside.
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A simple closed curve can be a circle.
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The mathematician explained a simple closed curve in class.
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A circle is an example of a simple closed curve in the plane.
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The boundary of a shape can be described as a simple closed curve.
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Mathematicians often use a simple closed curve to define concepts like area and perimeter.
Synonyms
A closed loop on a flat surface, like a circle, that does not cross itself
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is partly compositional: a B1 learner who knows 'curve' and 'closed' can infer a curve whose ends meet, but the modifier 'simple' carries a specialized mathematical sense ('no self-intersections') that is not the everyday meaning of 'simple' and is unlikely to be fully predictable without domain knowledge. Because the technical constraint on self-intersection is specific to mathematical usage, the overall meaning is only partially derivable from the constituents.
Etymology
The term simple closed curve gives a clear picture: imagine a single loop like a rubber band on a flat table, a curve where the ends meet so it is closed, and that does not cross itself so it is simple. This is why it means a loop with a clear 'inside' and 'outside'.
