Re: How to find the greatest of two numbers without using the comparison operators?



"Aparajita" <aparajita.mohanty@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1188542463.524263.317700@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi,

I want to find the greatest of two given numbers say 'A' and 'B.

That would be the "greater" of two numbers; the "greatest" implies at least
three...

The condition is that I should use the IF clause but not comparison
operators like '<', '>','=' etc.
Is there any other operator in COBOL by which we can compare two
numbers.

No there isn't.

But what you want CAN be done.

a clue: Check out the COBOL SIGN test.

Then think about how a computer is able to make comparisons. How would a
"compare" instruction (on any platform) "work"? If you had to build a
computer, how would you build a "compare" instruction? Given that all you
can do is arithmetic and sign checking, how would you implement a "compare"?

Post your thoughts here, and we'll see how you go.

Pete.
--
"I used to write COBOL...now I can do anything."


.

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