# Definition:Real Interval/Unit Interval/Open

## Definition

The open interval between $0$ and $1$ is referred to as the open unit interval.

$\left({0 \,.\,.\, 1}\right) = \left\{ {x \in \R: 0 < x < 1}\right\}$

## Notation

An arbitrary (real) interval is frequently denoted $\mathbb I$.

Sources which use the $\textbf {boldface}$ font for the number sets $\N, \Z, \Q, \R, \C$ tend also to use $\mathbf I$ for this entity.

Some sources merely use the ordinary $\textit {italic}$ font $I$.

### 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:

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

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