Hyperreal fields Suppose X is a Tychonoff space, also called a T3.5 space, and C(X) is the algebra of continuous real-valued functions on X. Suppose M is a maximal ideal in C(X). Then the factor algebra A = C(X)/M is a totally ordered field F containing the reals. If F strictly contains R then M is called a hyperreal ideal (terminology due to Hewitt (1948)) and F a hyperreal field. Note that no assumption is being made that the cardinality of F is greater than R; it can in fact have the same cardinality.
Hyperreal fields Suppose X is a Tychonoff! space, also called a T3.5 space, and C(!X) is the algebra of continuous real-valued fu:nctions on X. Suppose M is a maximal ideal in C(X). Then the !factor algebra A = C(X)/M is a .totally ordered field F containing the reals. If F strictly contains R then M is called a hyperreal ideal (terminology due to Hewitt (1948)) and F a hyperreal field. Note that no assumption is being made that the cardinality of F is greater than R; it can in fact have the same cardinality.