Less Than¶
Signals · Comparison
True where a < b.
Less Than is the comparison gate's other half: it outputs true on every bar where series A is below series B. It's how you express conditions like "RSI below 30", "price under the VWAP", or "volatility below its average" as a yes/no state you can filter and combine with.
How it works¶
Each bar the block evaluates A < B and outputs the boolean. It's a state, not an event — true for the whole period A stays under B (contrast Crosses Below, which fires only on the crossing bar). A is the tested value; B is the reference — a Constant for a fixed threshold, or another series for a relative test.
When to use it¶
Use Less Than to gate or filter on a below-threshold condition, usually inside an And chain: "RSI < 30 AND price in a demand zone." It's the state form, so it's best for permitting trades while a condition holds. For just the bar a condition first turns true, wrap it in an Edge Trigger; for the crossing event itself, use Crosses Below.
Example¶
An oversold filter: feed RSI into A and a Constant of 30 into B; the true state means "oversold." Combine with a bullish structure condition through an And gate, then take just the entry bar with an Edge Trigger into a Buy Signal. Backtest in the Tester.
Tips & gotchas¶
- State, not event — true the whole time A < B; use Crosses Below for the crossing, Edge Trigger for the first bar.
- Use a Constant for fixed thresholds.
- Ideal for gating in an And/Or chain.
- Mirror is Greater Than.
Related blocks¶
Inputs¶
| Socket | Type | What to wire in |
|---|---|---|
| A | series |
Left-hand series — the one DOING the crossing. In an MA crossover this is the FAST line (e.g. EMA-20). In an RSI trigger this is the RSI line itself. |
| B | series |
Right-hand series — the REFERENCE being crossed. In an MA crossover this is the SLOW line (e.g. EMA-50). In an RSI trigger this is the threshold (e.g. constant 30). |
Outputs¶
| Output | Type | Plots as | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cond | signal |
Signal arrows | Boolean result of the comparison |
Reference auto-generated from the block catalog · category Signals.