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.

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  1. Uriel

    How good is a fit for a set of points?

    Hello, I have the following problem. I have a system of differential equations, with two parameters that satisfy certain condition. 0 < 1.5(1-a) < b < 1. So when I fix the value of a I can find values of b satisfying this and its associated equilibrium point. When I calculate (with...
  2. S

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  3. S

    Trying to compare two different weights during drop through analysis.

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  4. S

    Compare the Ks0 values of MnCO3(s)

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  5. D

    Compare forces exerted between the Tennis Racquets

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  6. I

    C/C++ C++ String Compare: Alphabetize Strings

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  7. N

    Compare rate of reaction of organic and inorganic compounds

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  8. C

    How to compare these two sets of data?

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  9. E

    How to compare two data sets with statistics?

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  10. T

    Series to compare to for comparison test

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  11. Albert1

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  12. A

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  13. C

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  14. A

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  15. Albert1

    MHB Compare P and Q: $a, b, c, d, m, n > 0$

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  16. L

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  17. anemone

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  18. anemone

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  19. H

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  20. X

    How do UK levels compare to the EU levels I know ?

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  21. W

    Quantitative way to compare theoretical values to experimental values

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  22. L

    Schools How to compare potential advisers for grad school?

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  23. S

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  24. N

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  25. W

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  26. W

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  27. jaumzaum

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  28. J

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  29. P

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  30. O

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  31. S

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  32. B

    Physics Compare and contrast: career in medicine or physics

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  33. C

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  34. Z

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  35. C

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  36. T

    Integral Test: What should I compare this series with to prove it's convergence?

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  37. J

    How does traction compare to the width of a tire?

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  38. T

    Comp Sci C++ compare strings program using pointers

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  39. Z

    C/C++ C++ how to compare two objects of the same class?

    Hi, noob question here, In C++, how can I return boolean comparison between two object pointers? ie. return True if the pointers point to same object. I've tried == but it doesn't work. Do I need to define a comparison method from within the class? If so what is the syntax for doing it? Thanks.
  40. R

    Unsure of how to compare non-paired values

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  41. S

    Compare and/or combine two Access database tables

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  42. Loren Booda

    How does maximum symmetry compare to its corresponding minimum symmetry?

    In a mathematical system, what similarities are there between the most and least absolute symmetries? Might Noether's theorem explain this?
  43. M

    Compare Carroll & Ostlie's Astrophysics Texts: Any Suggestions?

    Hey everyone, I'm just wondering what the main difference is between Carroll and Ostlie's "An Intro to Modern Astrophysics" and "An Intro to Modern Stellar Astrophysics". I already have the former and have gone through a significant part of it. Does the latter contain any new information, or is...
  44. L

    Comparing Daylight Increase in Philadelphia Using a Model

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  45. S

    Compare centripetal acceleration of Mars and Earth

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  46. A

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  47. S

    Carbon Compounds: Orbital & Bonding Energies Explained

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  48. D

    Compare the structure of RNA and DNA with respect to the following characteristics.

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  49. A

    Compare final T of reversible/irreversible equations

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  50. M

    Compare efficiencies of petrol/Dieselstirling

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