What is Compare: Definition and 153 Discussions

Comparison or comparing is the act of evaluating two or more things by determining the relevant, comparable characteristics of each thing, and then determining which characteristics of each are similar to the other, which are different, and to what degree. Where characteristics are different, the differences may then be evaluated to determine which thing is best suited for a particular purpose. The description of similarities and differences found between the two things is also called a comparison. Comparison can take many distinct forms, varying by field:

To compare is to bring two or more things together (physically or in contemplation) and to examine them systematically, identifying similarities and differences among them. Comparison has a different meaning within each framework of study. Any exploration of the similarities or differences of two or more units is a comparison. In the most limited sense, it consists of comparing two units isolated from each other.
To compare things, they must have characteristics that are similar enough in relevant ways to merit comparison. If two things are too different to compare in a useful way, an attempt to compare them is colloquially referred to in English as "comparing apples and oranges." Comparison is widely used in society, in science and in the arts.

View More On Wikipedia.org
Recent contents Top users
  1. DaveC426913

    Spreadsheet help: compare two lists to find exceptions

    (I am using OpenOffice Calc, though I have access to Excel). I have coerced two lists of patients into two sheets on a spreadsheet. I need to determine who is missing from each list. So, schematically, something like this output: List 1: Alice Bob Carol Dave List 2: Alice Bill Bob Dave or...
  2. J

    Compare aerodynmics of two cars

    Mercedes CLA has Cd =0.22(180 Blue Efficiency) and Cd=0.23(180). CLS C218 has 0.26, but CLS has wide tires, no flat bottom and other aero features like CLA. aero features of CLA: https://www.car-engineer.com/mercedes-cla-is-the-most-aerodynamic-production-car-of-the-world/ If we compare just...
  3. B

    How to compare CPUs (for example Intel vs Apple)?

    Hi, Back in the day, I remember my PC going from a x286 to a x386, to a x486, then pentium. It was fairly easy to compare the changes, it was easy to notice the clock speed that was increasing, from 33Mhz for the x386 to the 300Mhz for the pentium. In the recent years, we seem to be reaching...
  4. M

    I A problem when trying to compare electromagnetism with gravity

    Let's say an object far far away from the Earth free falls in gravitational field. At Earth's surface free falling object gains kinetic energy E_1. Let's say an electron far away from the proton free falls in electromagnetic field. At Bohr's radius free falling electron gains kinetic energy E_2...
  5. H

    Compare the shadows cast by a pole in the river and a pole on the shore

    Is it because the speed of light is less fast in the water than on land as such leads to different in length of shadow?
  6. G

    How to compare NIRS spectra between each other?

    What would be the best practices for comparing multiple NIRS spectra between each other? I’m working with NIRS data of multiple samples from different subjects, measured with the same measurement setup. The aim is in the end to analyse correlation between signals and anatomical differences...
  7. DanjoJojo

    Comp Sci Writing a Little Man Computer program to compare 2 integers

    I've attempted and I can retrieve a 0 when the first input is greater than the second using BRP. I can't seem to get the output of 1 if the first input is equal to the second input. I also don't get a 2 output with the first input being less than the second. I also have no idea how to loop a...
  8. DarkMattrHole

    B How does the electric field of an electron compare to its probability wave?

    A single electron sitting in a void has an electric field that spreads out evenly in all directions as far as there is open empty space to allow it, is this roughly a correct statement? Let's say we now introduce a singe proton into the void, 100 miles from the electron - it will also have an...
  9. R

    I Special Relativity: Comparing Lengths in Parallel Motion

    In Introduction to special relativity by Resnick,there is a thought experiment to compare lengths perpendicular to relative motion as given in the below image. What if we try to perform such an experiment to compare lengths parallel to relative motion? Suppose there are two horizontal rods...
  10. Navin

    Chemistry Compare the Bond lengths of IO2F2 and IOF3

    Okay So our Chemistry Professor gave us the answer as the following IO2F2 has a larger bond length than IOF3 The reason being is once you draw the structures of the compounds IO2F2 has more number of double bonds that the later hence it shall have more p charecter than IOF3...hence it will...
  11. T

    MHB Compare trips based upon price

    Im writting an algorithm to compare travel trips. A trip is a combination of a 1) flight and 2) an accommodation. For now I´m only looking at the prices. I want to find the "best" trip based upon the price. The problem is that the flight price is a static value which doesn´t increase by the...
  12. Aleoa

    Compare travel times for two paths (one longer but lower than the other)

    I'm really sorry, but i don't understand how to solve this problem. Can you give me some help ? This is the picture of the problem:
  13. C

    How to compare two measurements with uncertainties in terms of sigma?

    Perhaps that statement is just saying how big the t-value is. Like, in this case: t = (1.0 - 0.98) / 0.1 = 0.1 So we can say that our measured value is within 1 sigma from the other measured value. In this case, do we just ignore the uncertainties of the other measured/reference value? It's...
  14. N

    How do I compare indoor and outdoor relative humidity levels?

    If my inside relative humidity level is 50% at 73 F, and my outside relative humidity level is 97% at 36 F, how can I tell if I open my door, whether I will lose inside humidity into the atmosphere? The real life scenario is that my wife complained that the humidity was too low in the house...
  15. BryanS

    I How can I compare different dogs' performance given these values?

    I haven't given much thought to the physics I studied in college a long while ago but found myself pondering some things recently and wanted to explore some thoughts... figured it might be a fun area to discuss and you might help point my brain back in a good direction... I regularly...
  16. J

    MHB Forecasting Automotive Sales: Choose the Best Approach for Accurate Results

    Two automotive companies are trying to forecast the next year sales. They try to select the best approach and tool to make the forecast as accurate as possible. Compare between the different approaches of forecasting and advise by return the one you suggest, and mention why did not you use the...
  17. KangOfCanada

    A How do Fusion/Fission Gamma Rays Compare?

    My concerns are all about how much shielding would be needed for a nuclear reactor. Would aneutronic He3-He3 fusion produce less energetic photons than fission to be more easily used in more mobile reactors? Obviously very few neutrons are made in this reaction so that leaves the high energy...
  18. YMMMA

    Compare the speed and frequency of a wave in a thick rope

    Homework Statement In the attached file. Homework Equations No equations needed. The Attempt at a Solution I answered it B. Not sure,though. If it is a thick rope the frequency decreses; therefore, the speed decreases.
  19. José Ricardo

    Radial Distribution Function graph

    Homework Statement Use a (simplified) graph to compare the maximum probability (electron density) of the Radial Distribution Function for the 1s and 2s orbitals. Homework Equations xxx The Attempt at a Solution The rest I don't how to solve.[/B]
  20. C

    Compare the wavelengths of a photon and an electron

    Homework Statement Compare and contrast a 2.2 eV photon with a 2.2 eV electron in terms of wavelength (m).[/B] Homework Equations p = h/λ λ = h/mv The Attempt at a Solution For photon: p = h/λ λ = h/p λ = (6.63 x10-34) / (1.17 x10-27kgm/s)** λ = 5.67 x10-7 m **I have already...
  21. Cerenkov

    B How does 400 sigma compare with 5 sigma?

    Hello. On Ethan Siegel's 'Starts With a Bang' blog... http://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/2010/06/28/how-do-we-use-the-cmb-to-learn/ ...he points out that the FIRAS CMB data has 400 sigma error bars. Since I've read that a 5 sigma value corresponds to a p-value of 3 x 10 -7 (approx. 1...
  22. evinda

    MHB Comparing Methods for Initial Value Problem

    Hello! (Wave) We consider the initial value problem: $$x'(t)=-5x(t)-2y(t), t \in [0,1] \\ y'(t)=-2x(t)-100y(t), t \in [0,1] \\ x(0)=1, y(0)=1.$$ I want to solve the above problem using the forward Euler method, the trapezoid method and the backward Euler method and to represent in common...
  23. Christina Lin

    Compare and contrast Bohr and Feynman?

    While doing research on Feynman and Bohr, I came across how Bohr never warmed up to Feynman even though he frequently sought him out for discussions in Los Alamos - which lead me to this question. Reasons were given for why he may not have, but that still leaves me wondering if there was...
  24. ISamson

    Best way to compare two people?

    I have been thinking about how to compare two men in their overall abilities. Physical, mental, strategical, social... So far, I have found that the game chess could be the most efficient way to compare two men on the strategical, mental and social sides of their personality. I wonder what...
  25. B

    Formulating equation to compare forces

    Homework Statement We have two balls connected by a string. Let's assume string has no mass. One ball is on the table, spinning in circle at a constant speed, connected by string to a hole with another ball, hanging. Here is picture. https://imgur.com/a/TtEjK Homework Equations Finding...
  26. Q

    How light rays from a fireplace wood fire on Earth compare to the Sun's fire?

    While lying in front of a 500 degree woodfire, I wonder if besides light and heat that we take as ordinary does it also have ultraviolet rays of light like the sun?? What are the types from light from an ordinary on Earth fire?? Would they be beneficial to plants as main light source?, would...
  27. O

    How does the gradient of the graph compare to the W force

    Homework Statement How does the gradient of the graph compare to the weight force? The graph is a Mass vs 1/Acceleration graph (y axis = mass, x-axis = Acceleration, It was mentioned to do this.) Homework Equations Explain by referring to the formula for Newton's Second Law. The Attempt at a...
  28. gelfand

    Compare and contrast data

    Homework Statement Compare and contrast the given data Homework Equations None needed for this The Attempt at a Solution I'm never too sure what kind of thing I'd be expected to do for something like this. Here's how I would go about it, but would appreciate any pointers / things to...
  29. Mike J

    Compare 2 mechanical shock scenarios with different magnitude and time

    For example, How does one compare 100 g's for 6 milliseconds to 45 g's for 11 milliseconds. These are two different shock scenarios with different magnitudes and times, so how can I compare them? If I have something that is shock rated at 100 g's for 6 ms does this imply that it will withstand...
  30. L

    Compare and contrast a 2.2 eV photon with a 2.2 eV electron

    Homework Statement Hey everyone, So my teacher assigned a mini project just before our finals and I was wondering if someone could look over my work and my calculations. I just want to make sure I understood everything since my final exams are coming. Here's the assignment. Compare and...
  31. Jules Winnfield

    I How do I compare a model to logarithmic data?

    I have a model which is quadratic (e.g. ##y = k x^2##). I'm comparing it against a large set of data (galaxy cluster masses) which spans several Log10 decades (e.g. ##10^{11}## to ##10^{15}## solar masses). What is the right way to say how good the data fits the model? Obviously the errors in...
  32. T

    Compare these two Linear Algebra courses

    Hi! First off, I am actually a math / econ major. I hope I'm still welcome here I am trying to figure out if it's worth it to take both of these courses or just one of them. I have not taken LA before. Course 1: Addition, subtraction and scalar multiplication of vectors, length of vector...
  33. M

    MHB How to compare race times from one race to another race?

    My son competed in a race over the weekend, and we are trying to figure out how he did overall compared to kids in similar races around the country. I am not very good in math, but I want to help him. Can this/ should this be done as a percentile? How? Other thoughts about how to approach...
  34. J

    MHB Compare volume formula to integration

    So I need to compare the results of the volume formula of a cylinder to the results of the integration. In geometry, you learn that the volume of a cylinder is given by V = πr2h, where r is the radius and h is the height of the cylinder. Use integration in cylindrical coordinates to confirm the...
  35. W

    I How to compare two data sets with multiple samples

    I have two data sets A and B which correspond to two different settings of the system. Both sets contain 5 separate lists of integers; I took 5 samples, at different points in time and location, for each set to reduce the random error in the data. How would I go about comparing sets A and B? If...
  36. T

    How do you compare the amplitudes of different frequencies?

    Hello everyone! I am in a pickle right now as I attempt to move forward in my research project on neurofeedback. I am trying to calculate the theta/beta ratio for individual subjects and then compare them statistically. The issue I am having is statistically comparing amplitudes of different...
  37. L

    A Compare absorption spectra from calculation and experiment

    hi pf nice to see you. I have a question about optical absorption spectrum of nanoscale substrates. To get an absorption spectrum of nanostrucutred material, I want to perform both fdtd calculation and optical simulation. When I do fdtd calculation, I set the incident light illuminated with...
  38. X

    B How to compare two huge numbers with nested exponentials?

    Let's say we have two numbers represented as a "tower" of exponentials, a^b^c^d and w^x^y^z (powers calculated right to left) and we want to compare them, not necessarily calculating their values. Their values are so huge, they can't be represented on a computer or calculator. Is it possible to...
  39. V

    Comparing Powers: A Mental Technique

    This is by no means a trick question, I would want to know whether there is any technique to compare two powered terms with different bases, that is if I say I want to compare 2 powered 200 to 3 powered 120 to estimate which of these may be greater without any special or digital aid, how can I...
  40. MidgetDwarf

    Intro Physics How does KIP Fundamentals of Electricity compare to Purcell?

    How does KIP: Fundamentals of Electricity and Magnetism compare against Purcell? Are they at the same level? Or would focusing on Purcell be a better option? I took an honors EM class and are assigned text was Purcell. It was the first time our school used Purcell for an honors sequence...
  41. wololo

    Chemistry Compare average distance between molecules to size of N2

    Homework Statement Homework Equations Pv=nRt The Attempt at a Solution I already calculated V for a single molecule = 3.99x10^-23 m^3 and the cubic root of this volume gives 3.42x10^-8 m. However, I don't understand what I should do next. What does it mean to compare the value I obtained to...
  42. P

    Why can current be larger than placed charges in a wire?

    Homework Statement We have seen that a coulomb is an enormous amount of charge; it is virtually impossible to place a charge of 1 C on an object. Yet, a current of 10 A, is quite reasonable. Explain this apparent discrepancy. Homework Equations I = nqvA The Attempt at a Solution i think it...
  43. makkhi

    How to compare two treatment protocols? research question

    Friends, I want to compare two different treatment protocols for effective pain management. I'm going to follow up the patients at regular interval of time and compare the data. So, what kind of study should I do? prospective cohort study? How should I choose the variables? There can be...
  44. K

    B How to compare camera film ISO number to quantum efficiency?

    The efficiency of a scientific camera like http://www.princetoninstruments.com/products/imcam/proem/ is specified by the quantum efficiency vs wavelength. The meaning is simple enough. Assuming a fill factor of 1, it's the fraction of incident photons that generate a charge. But photographer...
  45. A

    Compare Energy Consumption for different phases of a system

    I wish to compare energy consumption of my protocol, in embedded systems, in two different phases. The point is that one phase lasts longer than other (around 130 seconds more). => The longer phase will, of-course, have larger energy consumption since time is a higher quantity in this case. Can...
  46. R

    How does an A- compare to an A?

    Recently, I received an A- in a math class I feel I deserved an A. Unfortunately, the class was 94+ for an A which was not mentioned on the syllabus. How does the graduate committee view an A- compared to an A?
  47. Mr. Bitters

    How does 1st/2nd year undergrad labs compare to real research?

    i'm not sure if this is the best place to post this so if its in the wrong place I'm sorry and ill try to move iti've always loved physics. I've never been good at much of anything except math and science. Never could play an instrument worth a damn, zero athletic ability, and so forth, but math...
  48. F

    Compare & contrast properties of strong & weak interactions

    Hi all - in the question below I could do with some help on the "..explanation for the relative strengths..." bit, as I can't think of anything to say. 1. Homework Statement Compare and contrast the properties of the strong and weak interactions. Include in your account an explanation for the...
  49. 22990atinesh

    Maximum number of comparisons required to merge two sorted files

    Homework Statement Maximum no. of comparisons required to merge two sorted files of length 'm' and 'n' is.. Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution I think m+n-1
  50. J

    Why hydrogen is not used to compare the relative atomic mass

    Is that because of some historical reasons or E=mc2(i mean something about binding energy)?
Back
Top