Ceiling Right in LaTeX (\rceil)

Where it is used

Right ceiling bracket, closing the ceiling function notation for rounding up.

Pair \rceil with \lceil to write \lceil \log_2 n \rceil, the number of bits needed in many algorithms, or \lceil n/k \rceil for the number of size-k blocks needed to cover n items. Unlike parentheses, the ceiling has no ASCII equivalent, so the command is the only way to get the symbol. Use \right\rceil when the matching left bracket was set with \left. If you write ceilings often, a paired-delimiter macro like \ceil{x} keeps the sizes consistent across a document.

Minimal compilable example

Paste this into an empty .tex file and compile it with pdfLaTeX, XeLaTeX or LuaLaTeX.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\begin{document}
Ceiling Right: $\rceil$

\[ \text{blocks} = \lceil n / k \rceil \]
\end{document}

Related symbols

• Ceiling\lceil x \rceil
• Ceiling Left\lceil
• Floor Left\lfloor
• Angle Brackets\langle x \rangle
• Floor Right\rfloor
• Angle Bracket Right\rangle

Frequently asked questions

How do I write Ceiling Right in LaTeX?

Type \rceil in math mode, for example $\text{blocks} = \lceil n / k \rceil$. It works in plain LaTeX without loading any package.

Which package do I need for \rceil?

None. \rceil is part of standard LaTeX, so it compiles with nothing in the preamble but the document class.

Can I use \rceil in text mode, or only in math mode?

Only in math mode. Outside $...$ LaTeX stops with "Missing $ inserted", so write $\rceil$ in running text. If you only need the glyph in text, paste the Unicode character ⌉ instead (with XeLaTeX or LuaLaTeX and a font that has it).