Let XX be a real and let Ω1,Ω2⊆X\Omega_1,\Omega_2\subseteq X be nonempty.

The sets Ω1\Omega_1 and Ω2\Omega_2 can be separated by a hyperplane if there is a nonzero linear functional f:X→Rf:X\to\mathbb R such that

f(x)≤f(y)whenever x∈Ω1, y∈Ω2.f(x)\le f(y)\quad\text{whenever }x\in\Omega_1,\ y\in\Omega_2.

Equivalently,

sup⁡x∈Ω1f(x)≤inf⁡y∈Ω2f(y).\sup_{x\in\Omega_1}f(x)\le \inf_{y\in\Omega_2}f(y).

Any α\alpha between these two values gives a {x∈X:f(x)=α}\{x\in X:f(x)=\alpha\} lying between the sets.