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Parametric Cartesian equation: x = (a - b)cos(t) + bcos((a/b - 1)t), y = (a - b)sin(t) - bsin((a/b - 1)t)
This is a member of a set of four curves which are closely related. These are the epicycloid, the epitrochoid, the hypocycloid and the hypotrochoid and they are traced by a point P on a circle of radius b which rolls round a fixed circle of radius a.
For the hypocycloid, shown above in dodgy ASCII, the circle of radius b rolls on the inside of the circle of radius a. The point P is on the circumference of the circle of radius b. For the example a = 5 and b = 3.
Special cases
Also, the evolute of a hypocycloid is a similar hypocycloid.