Description
Check actual against ordered bounds using strict comparisons except where lowerClosed or upperClosed includes an equal endpoint.
An interval forecast has both a width and a relationship to an observed value. Scoring rules can penalize narrow misses while boundary conventions determine coverage separately.
Check actual against ordered bounds using strict comparisons except where lowerClosed or upperClosed includes an equal endpoint.
When to use this tool
Use Interval Coverage Boundary Convention when you need one interval width, coverage, penalty, or error-envelope term.
How to use the tool and how it works
- Enter actual, lower, upper, lowerClosed, upperClosed. Use the units and conventions below.
- Run the tool. Correct any format, range, or cross-field input error before interpreting the output.
- Read covered, boundary. Inspect covered, boundary before interpreting the associated values.
Check actual against ordered bounds using strict comparisons except where lowerClosed or upperClosed includes an equal endpoint. Return boundary independently when actual equals either bound.1
| Input field | Meaning and units | Accepted input |
|---|---|---|
| actual | Observed value on the same scale and unit as its prediction. | Required. Finite number. |
| lower | Lower | Required. Finite number. |
| upper | Upper | Required. Finite number. |
| lowerClosed | Lower Closed | Required. Boolean. |
| upperClosed | Upper Closed | Required. Boolean. |
| Output field | Interpretation | Returned shape |
|---|---|---|
| covered | Covered | Required. Boolean. |
| boundary | Boundary | Required. Boolean. |
{
"input": {
"actual": 2,
"lower": 2,
"upper": 4,
"lowerClosed": true,
"upperClosed": false
},
"output": {
"covered": true,
"boundary": true
}
}Limitations and assumptions
- Endpoint inclusion is explicit and exact; a zero-width interval covers its point only when both endpoints are closed.
- Inputs must satisfy both the field types and the cross-field conditions above. Invalid input causes an error; a successful false flag or documented placeholder is a different result.
- Numeric calculations use binary floating point unless exact decimal-integer arithmetic is explicitly stated. No hidden measurement tolerance or decimal rounding is added; nonfinite or out-of-contract results are rejected. Numeric signed-zero results are exported as zero.
Alternative or Complementary methods
Aggregate scores over comparable observations and examine empirical coverage and interval width together.
References
Similar or alternative tools
- Metrics: Interval Score Observation
Add width, 2/alpha times any shortfall below lower, and 2/alpha times any exceedance above upper.
- Absolute Error Rounding Uncertainty Envelope
Add nonnegative actualHalfwidth and predictedHalfwidth to h.