Comparison of Numeric and Nonnumeric Operands

Rules for numeric and nonnumeric comparisons are given in the following tables. If either of the operands is a group item, nonnumeric comparison rules apply.

Table 1 summarizes permissible comparisons with nonnumeric operands.

Table 2 summarizes permissible comparisons with numeric operands.

The symbols used in Table 1 and Table 2 are as follows:
  • NN = Comparison for nonnumeric operands.
  • NU = Comparison for numeric operands.
  • NL = Comparison for national operands.
  • NLN = Comparison for national and nonnational operands.
  • DT = Comparison for date-time operands.
  • Blank = Comparison is not allowed.
Table 1. Permissible Comparisons with Nonnumeric Second Operands
FIRST OPERAND SECOND OPERAND
GR AL AN ANE NE, NNE FC1 NNL DB DBE DA TI TS NL, NLE
NONNUMERIC OPERAND
Group (GR) NN NN NN NN NN NN NN     NN NN NN NN
Alphabetic (AL) NN NN NN NN NN NN NN           NLN
Alphanumeric (AN) NN NN NN NN NN NN NN     NN NN NN NLN
Alphanumeric-edited (ANE) NN NN NN NN NN NN NN     NN NN NN  
Numeric-edited (NE) NN NN NN NN NN NN NN     NU NU NU  
Figurative Constant (FC1) NN NN NN NN NN               NL4
Nonnumeric Literal (NNL) NN NN NN NN NN         NN NN NN NLN
DBCS items (DB)3               NN NN       NLN 6
DBCS-edited items (DBE)3               NN NN        
Date (DA)3 NN   NN NN NU   NN     DT   DT  
Time (TI)3 NN   NN NN NU   NN       DT DT  
Timestamp (TS)3 NN   NN NN NU   NN     DT DT DT  
National (NL) NN NLN NLN   NL5 NL4 NLN NLN         NL
Start of changeNational-edited (NLE)End of change Start of changeNNEnd of change Start of changeNLNEnd of change Start of changeNLNEnd of change Start of change End of change Start of change End of change Start of changeNL4End of change Start of changeNLNEnd of change Start of change End of change Start of change End of change Start of change End of change Start of change End of change Start of change End of change Start of changeNLEnd of change
Start of changeNational numeric-edited (NNE)End of change Start of changeNNEnd of change Start of changeNNEnd of change Start of changeNNEnd of change Start of changeNNEnd of change Start of changeNL5End of change Start of changeNNEnd of change Start of changeNNEnd of change Start of change End of change Start of change End of change Start of changeNUEnd of change Start of changeNUEnd of change Start of changeNUEnd of change Start of changeNLEnd of change
NUMERIC OPERAND
Figurative Constant ZERO (ZR) NN NN NN NN NN                
Numeric Literal (NL) NN NN NN NN NN         NU NU NU  
External Decimal (ED)2 NN NN NN NN NN NN NN     NU NU NU Start of changeNNEnd of change
Binary (BI)                   NU NU NU  
Arithmetic Expression (AE)                   NU NU NU  
Boolean data item or Boolean Literal (BO)3                          
Internal Decimal (ID)                   NU NU NU  
Internal Floating-Point (IFP)3                          
External Floating-Point (EFP)3 NN3 NN3 NN3 NN3 NN3 NN3 NN3            
Floating-Point Literal (FPL)3                          
Start of changeNational Decimal (ND) 23End of change Start of changeNNEnd of change Start of changeNNEnd of change Start of changeNNEnd of change Start of changeNNEnd of change Start of changeNNEnd of change Start of changeNNEnd of change Start of changeNNEnd of change Start of change End of change Start of change End of change Start of changeNUEnd of change Start of changeNUEnd of change Start of changeNUEnd of change Start of changeNNEnd of change
Table 2. Permissible Comparisons with Numeric Second Operands
FIRST OPERAND SECOND OPERAND
ZR NL Start of changeED, NDEnd of change BI AE BO ID IFP3 EFP3 FPL3
NONNUMERIC OPERAND
Group (GR) NN NN NN2           NN3  
Alphabetic (AL) NN NN NN2           NN3  
Alphanumeric (AN) NN NN NN2           NN3  
Alphanumeric-edited (ANE) NN NN NN2           NN3  
Numeric-edited (NE) NN NN NN2           NN3  
Figurative Constant (FC1)     NN2           NN3  
Nonnumeric Literal (NNL)     NN2           NN3  
Date (DA)   NU NU2 NU NU   NU      
Time (TI)   NU NU2 NU NU   NU      
Timestamp (TS)   NU NU2 NU NU   NU      
Start of changeNational numeric-edited (NNE)End of change Start of changeNNEnd of change Start of changeNNEnd of change Start of changeNN2End of change Start of change End of change Start of change End of change Start of change End of change Start of change End of change Start of change End of change Start of changeNN3End of change Start of changeNLEnd of change
NUMERIC OPERAND
Figurative Constant ZERO (ZR)     NU NU NU NU3 NU NU3 NU3  
Numeric Literal (NL)     NU NU NU   NU NU3 NU3  
External Decimal (ED) NU NU NU NU NU   NU NU3 NU3 NU3
Binary (BI) NU NU NU NU NU   NU NU3 NU3 NU3
Arithmetic Expression (AE) NU NU NU NU NU   NU NU3 NU3 NU3
Boolean data item or Boolean Literal (BO)3 NU3         NU3        
Internal Decimal (ID) NU NU NU NU NU   NU NU3 NU3 NU3
Internal Floating-Point (IFP)3 NU3 NU3 NU3 NU3 NU3   NU3 NU3 NU3 NU3
External Floating-Point (EFP)3 NU3 NU3 NU3 NU3 NU3   NU3 NU3 NU3 NU3
Floating-Point Literal (FPL)3     NU3 NU3 NU3   NU3 NU3 NU3  
Start of changeNational Decimal (ND) 23End of change Start of changeNUEnd of change Start of changeNUEnd of change Start of changeNUEnd of change Start of changeNUEnd of change Start of changeNUEnd of change Start of change End of change Start of changeNUEnd of change Start of changeNU3End of change Start of changeNU3End of change Start of changeNUEnd of change
Notes to Table 1 and Table 2:
1
Includes all figurative constants except ZERO and NULL
2
Integer item only
3
IBM® extension
4
Only for SPACE
Start of change5End of change
Start of changeOnly for National numeric-editedEnd of change
Start of change6End of change
Start of changeDoes not apply to National-editedEnd of change