6.1.6.5.1 "COBOL Language Reference" IBM Library Server

The algebraic values of numeric operands are compared.

The length (number of digits) of the operands is not significant.
Unsigned numeric operands are considered positive.
Zero is considered to be a unique value, regardless of sign.
Comparison of numeric operands is permitted, regardless of the type of USAGE specified for each.

Table 24 summarizes permissible comparisons with numeric operands.

The symbols used in Table 24 and Table 25are as follows:

X First Operand	X ZR	X NL	X ED	X BI	X AE	X ID	X IFP	X EFP	X FPL

Table 24. Permissible Comparisons with Numeric Second Operands
X First Operand	Second Operand
*Nonnumeric* *Operand*
X Group (GR)	X NN	X NN(1)	X NN(1)	X	X	X	X	X NN	X
X Alphabetic (AL)	X NN	X NN(1)	X NN(1)	X	X	X	X	X NN	X
X Alphanumeric (AN)	X NN	X NN(1)	X NN(1)	X	X	X	X	X NN	X
X Alphanumeric-edited (ANE)	X NN	X NN(1)	X NN(1)	X	X	X	X	X NN	X
X Numeric-Edited (NE)	X NN	X NN(1)	X NN(1)	X	X	X	X	X NN	X
X Figurative Constant (FC(2))	X	X	X NN(1)	X	X	X	X	X NN	X
X Nonnumeric Literal (NNL)	X	X	X NN(1)	X	X	X	X	X NN	X
*Numeric* *Operand*
X Figurative Constant ZERO (ZR)	X	X	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X
X Numeric Literal (NL)	X	X	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X
X External Decimal (ED)	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU
X Binary (BI)	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU
X Arithmetic Expression (AE)	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU
X Internal Decimal (ID)	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU	X NU
X Internal Floating-point X (IFP)	X NU X	X NU X	X NU X	X NU X	X NU X	X NU X	X NU X	X NU X	X NU X
X External Floating-Point X (EFP)	X NU X	X NU X	X NU X	X NU X	X NU X	X NU X	X NU X	X NU X	X NU X
X Floating-point Literal X (FPL)	X X	X X	X NU X	X NU X	X NU X	X NU X	X NU X	X NU X	X X
Note: (1) Integer item only. (2) Includes all figurative constants except ZERO.

Adobe, the Adobe logo, Acrobat, the Acrobat logo, and Acrobat Reader are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems incorporated.