Definition:Real Interval/Half-Open/Right

Definition

Let $a,b\in\R$ be real numbers.

The right half-open (real) interval from $a$ to $b$ is the subset:

$\hointr a b := \set {x \in \R: a \le x < b}$

Notation

An arbitrary interval is frequently denoted $\mathbb I$, although some sources use just $I$. Others use $\mathbf I$.

Wirth Interval Notation

The notation used on this site to denote a real interval is a fairly recent innovation, and was introduced by Niklaus Emil Wirth:

 $\displaystyle \openint a b$ $:=$ $\displaystyle \set {x \in \R: a < x < b}$ Open Real Interval $\displaystyle \hointr a b$ $:=$ $\displaystyle \set {x \in \R: a \le x < b}$ Half-Open (to the right) Real Interval $\displaystyle \hointl a b$ $:=$ $\displaystyle \set {x \in \R: a < x \le b}$ Half-Open (to the left) Real Interval $\displaystyle \closedint a b$ $:=$ $\displaystyle \set {x \in \R: a \le x \le b}$ Closed Real Interval

The term Wirth interval notation has consequently been coined by $\mathsf{Pr} \infty \mathsf{fWiki}$.

Also known as

A right half-open interval is also called half-open on the right, left half-closed, or half-closed on the left.

Technical Note

The $\LaTeX$ code for $\hointr {a} {b}$ is \hointr {a} {b} .

This is a custom $\mathsf{Pr} \infty \mathsf{fWiki}$ command designed to implement Wirth interval notation.

The name is derived from half-open interval on the right.