Comparison Operators with Equations
The following examples demonstrate how to use comparison operators with the data types int
(integers, whole numbers) and float (number with a decimal point or fractional value). Comparison
operators return Boolean results. As you learned previously, Boolean is a data type that can hold only
one of two values: True or False.
The comparison operators include:
• == (equality)
• != (not equal to)
• > (greater than)
• < (less than)
• >= (greater than or equal to)
• <= (less than or equal to)
PART 1: Equality == and Not Equal To !=
Operators
In Python, you can use comparison operators to compare values. When a comparison is made,
Python returns a Boolean result: True or False. Note that Boolean data types are not string data
types (Boolean True is not equal to the string "True").
• To check if two values are the same, use the equality operator: ==
• To check if two values are not the same, use the not equal to operator: !=
The print() function can be used to display the results of the comparisons.
Examples:
print(32 == 30+2) # The == operator checks if the 2 values are
True # equal to each other. If they are equal,
# Python returns a True result.
print(5+10 == 6+7) # If the two values are not equal, as in the
False # expression 5+10 == 6+7 (or 15 == 13), Python
# returns a False result.
print(10-4 != 10+4) # The != operator checks if the 2 values are
True # NOT equal to each other. If true, Python
# returns a True result.
print(9/3 != 3*1) # In this last example, 9/3 != 3*1 (or 3 != 3)
False # is false. So, Python returns a False value.
The equality == operator versus the equals = operator
It is important to note that the equality == comparison operator performs a different task than the
equals = assignment operator. The equals = operator assigns the value on the right side of the equals
= to the object (e.g., a variable) on the left side of the equals = operator.
Examples:
# The = equals assignment operator is used to assign a value to a
# variable.
my_variable = 3*5 # Assigns a value to my_variable
print(my_variable) # Printing the variable returns the
15 # value assigned to the variable.
# The == equality comparison operator checks if the values of the two
# expressions on either side of the == operator are equivalent to one
# another.
print(my_variable == 3*5) # Printing the variable returns a Boolean
True # True or False result.
PART 2: Greater Than > and Less Than <
Operators
The comparison operators greater than > and less than < also return a True or False Boolean result
after comparing two values.
• To check if one value is larger than another value, use the greater than operator: >
• To check if one value is smaller than another value, use the less than operator: <
Examples:
print(11 > 3*3) # The > operator checks if the left value is
True # greater than the right value. If true, it
# returns a True result.
print(4/2 > 8-4) # If the > operator finds that the left value
False # is NOT greater than the right value, the
# comparison will return a False result.
print(4/2 < 8-4) # The < operator checks if the left value is
True # less than the right side. If true, the
# comparison returns a True result.
print(11 < 3*3) # If the < operator finds that the left side is False
# NOT less than the right value, Python returns
False # a False result.
PART 3: Greater Than or Equal to >= and Less
Than or Equal to <= Operators
Like the other comparison operators, the greater than or equal to >= and less than or equal to <=
operators return a True or False Boolean result when a comparison is made.
• To check if one value is larger than or equal to another value, use the greater than or equal to
operator: >=
• To check if one value is smaller than or equal to another value, use the less than or equal to
operator: <=
Examples:
print(12*2 >= 24) # The >= operator checks if the left value is
True # greater than or equal to the right value.
# If one of these conditions is true,
# Python returns a True result. In this case
# the two values are equal. So, the comparison
# returns a True result.
print(18/2 >= 15) # If the >= comparison determines that the left False
False # value is NOT greater than or equal to the
# right, it returns a False result.
print(12*2 <= 30) # The <= operator checks if the left value is
True # less than or equal to the right value. In
# this case, the left value is less than the
# right value. Again, if one of the two
# conditions is true, Python returns a True
# result.
print(15 <= 18/2) # If the <= comparison determines that the left
False # value is NOT less than or equal to the right
# value, the comparison returns a False result.
PART 4: Practice
If you would like more practice using comparison operators, feel free to create your own
comparisons using the code block below. Note that there is no feedback associated with this code
block.
For additional Python practice, the following links will take you to several popular online interpreters
and codepads:
• Welcome to Python
• Online Python Interpreter
• Create a new Repl
• Online Python-3 Compiler (Interpreter)
• Compile Python 3 Online
• Your Python Trinket
Key takeaways
Python comparison operators return Boolean results: True or False.
Symbol Name Expression Description
== Equality operator a == b a is equal to b
!= Not equal to operator a != b a is not equal to b
> Greater than operator a>b a is larger than b
>= Greater than or equal to operator a >= b a is larger than or equal to b
< Less than operator a<b a is smaller than b
<= Less than or equal to operator a <= b a is smaller than or equal to b
Resources for more information
For more information about the concepts covered in these practice exercises, please visit:
• Order of Operations - A refresher on the mathematical Order of Operations.
• Python Comparison Operators with Syntax and Example - Provides examples of more
complex comparisons.
• Raise numbers to a power: here’s how to exponentiate in Python - Explains multiple methods
for calculating exponents in Python.
