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

$$r_> \equiv {\rm max}(r,R)$$

$$r_< \equiv {\rm min}(r,R)$$

are sometimes used.

See also Equal, Greater, Less