0
$\begingroup$

I would appreciate any help with the tags. I'm afraid I don't know enough about what I'm asking to know what tags to apply!

As I've understood things, smaller describes a value as being closer to 0, so:

5 is smaller than 6
5 is smaller than -6
-5 is smaller than 6
-5 is smaller than -6

I'm slightly confused though about 'less than'. The word in natural use appears to just be a synonym of 'smaller than'.

5 is less than 6

This statement is fine, but the following statement:

-5 is less than -6

In this statement, the magnitude of -6 is more than the magnitude of -5. Yet, I can't find any program that states (-5 < -6) as true. Is this because the symbol < is actually 'lower than' rather than 'less than'?

$\endgroup$
1
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ In mathematics, "further to the left on the number line" is so much more useful and so much easier to work with that "closer to $0$" doesn't even have its own established name. Both "smaller than" and "less than", along with any other such, means "closer to $-\infty$". $\endgroup$
    – Arthur
    Oct 8, 2016 at 17:53

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
2
$\begingroup$

"smaller" does not mean "closer to zero" it simply means less positive, which is why 5 is NOT less than -6

$\endgroup$

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.