# 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 (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 $I$.

Some sources prefer to use $J$.

### 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 $\mathsf{Pr} \infty \mathsf{fWiki}$.

## 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.