Python Comparison
One equals sign stores a value. Two equals signs ask a question. guest = "lida" puts the text under the name. guest == "lida" asks whether the stored text is lida, and the answer is True or False. It does not store anything. print(5 > 2) writes True. print(5 == 2) writes False. print(5 != 2) writes True, because 5 and 2 are not the same.
print(5 > 2)
print(5 == 2)
print(5 != 2)
The three lines are True, then False, then True. These are the two values from the page about True and False. A comparison does not write the numbers themselves.
Letter case counts, and text is not a number
print("lida" == "lida") writes True. The same letters in the same case are the same text. print("lida" == "Lida") writes False. A capital L is not a small l. print("2" == 2) writes False. The text 2 and the number 2 are different kinds. The previous page can turn one into the other. This page only asks whether they already match.
print("lida" == "lida")
print("lida" == "Lida")
print("2" == 2)
The three lines are True, then False, then False.
5 >= 5 writes True, because "larger or the same" includes the same. 5 > 5 writes False. 5 <= 5 writes True. 5 < 5 writes False. The extra equals sign means "or the same," not a second question.
Six signs, and the question each one asks.
📊 What each sign asks
| Sign | Question |
|---|---|
| == | Are they the same? |
| != | Are they not the same? |
| > | Is the first larger? |
| < | Is the first smaller? |
| >= | Is the first larger or the same? |
| <= | Is the first smaller or the same? |
The next page joins two answers
This page asks one question at a time. It does not add numbers, choose a branch, or turn text into a number. The next page joins two of these answers with and, or, and not.
Say these yourself
- One = stores. Two == ask, and the answer is True or False.
- 5 > 2 is True. 5 == 2 is False. 5 != 2 is True.
- "lida" == "Lida" is False. "2" == 2 is False.
- The next page joins two answers with and, or, and not.
Easy to misread
- Using one = when you meant to ask
- Reading 5 == 2 as the number 2
- Treating "Lida" as the same text as "lida"
- Treating the text "2" as the number 2
- Reading >= as two separate questions
Keep
One = stores. Two == ask whether two values are the same. != asks whether they are not.
The answer is True or False, not the number you compared.
5 > 2 is True. 5 == 2 is False. 5 >= 5 is True. 5 > 5 is False.
Letter case counts. The text "2" is not the number 2.
The next page joins two answers with and, or, and not.
🧠 Test Your Knowledge
Test Your Knowledge
Challenge yourself with this interactive quiz and see how well you understand the topic
📝 Instructions
- Read each question carefully
- Select the best answer for each question
- You can retake the quiz as many times as you want
- Your progress will be shown at the top