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Greater Than/Less Than Symbol

When applied to a system possessing a length $R$ at which solutions in a variable $r$ change character (such as the gravitational field of a sphere as $r$ runs from the interior to the exterior), the symbols

\begin{displaymath}
r_> \equiv {\rm max}(r,R)
\end{displaymath}


\begin{displaymath}
r_< \equiv {\rm min}(r,R)
\end{displaymath}

are sometimes used.

See also Equal, Greater, Less




© 1996-9 Eric W. Weisstein
1999-05-25