← IGCSE Computer Science Paper 2

Relational operators: <, <=, > and >=

Relational operators that compare the size of two values and give TRUE or FALSE. < and > leave out the boundary value; <= and >= include it, so 50 >= 50 is TRUE but 50 > 50 is FALSE.

Part of: IGCSE Computer Science 0478 — 8.1b Sequence, Selection and Iteration — Module 9, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 9–10 — Algorithms with Logical Operators — Module 2

Understanding Relational operators: <, <=, > and >= in IGCSE Computer Science Paper 2

What it does: <= gives TRUE when Mark is 100, because it includes the boundary. < would reject 100. >= means greater than OR equal to. 50 is equal to 50, so the condition is TRUE. > only accepts values strictly bigger than 50. 50 is not bigger than itself, so the result is FALSE. < leaves out the boundary. Only ages 17 and below make Age < 18 TRUE. <= includes the boundary value 18, but < does not. A score of exactly 50 should pass, so you need >= to include the boundary. Using > would wrongly fail a score of 50.

Common mistakes: There is no => operator in pseudocode. 'Greater than or equal to' is written >= (the > comes first). The line should be IF Score >= 50 THEN. <= includes the boundary, so an 18-year-old would be told 'Under 18'. Under 18 means strictly less than 18, so use <. The line should be IF Age < 18 THEN.

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 358–368) and word search (Modules 358–378).

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Learning

Duo

Score <- 50. What does Score >= 50 give?

TRUE, because >= includes the boundary value 50FALSE, because 50 is not greater than 50

Matches

IF Score => 50 THEN

↓

The operator is written the wrong way round. Cambridge pseudocode uses >=, not =>.

Applying

Meanings

Term

< <= > >=

Meaning

Relational operators that compare the size of two values and give TRUE or FALSE. < and > leave out the boundary value; <= and >= include it, so 50 >= 50 is TRUE but 50 > 50 is FALSE.

Practice

Score <- 50

Testing

Gaps

IF Score 50 THEN

Check Answer

Spots

3Pass <- FALSE

4IF Score => 50 THEN

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Quick Questions

1. Score <- 50. What does Score >= 50 give?

A. FALSE, because 50 is not greater than 50

B. TRUE, because >= includes the boundary value 50 ✓

>= means greater than OR equal to. 50 is equal to 50, so the condition is TRUE.

2. Score <- 50. What does Score > 50 give?

A. FALSE, because > leaves out the boundary value ✓

B. TRUE, because 50 is the same as 50

> only accepts values strictly bigger than 50. 50 is not bigger than itself, so the result is FALSE.

3. Age <- 18. What does Age < 18 give?

A. TRUE, because 18 is close to 18

B. FALSE, because 18 is not less than 18 ✓

< leaves out the boundary. Only ages 17 and below make Age < 18 TRUE.

4. Which condition is TRUE for a student who is exactly 18 years old (Age <- 18)?

A. Age <= 18 ✓

B. Age < 18

<= includes the boundary value 18, but < does not.

5. Which condition correctly tests for a pass mark when 50 or more is a pass?

A. Score >= 50 ✓

B. Score > 50

A score of exactly 50 should pass, so you need >= to include the boundary. Using > would wrongly fail a score of 50.

Match the Pairs

Score >= 50 → TRUE when Score is 50 or more, so a Score of exactly 50 is included

Age < 18 → TRUE only when Age is less than 18, so an Age of exactly 18 is not included

To include the boundary value 100 when checking the largest allowed mark, use 'less than or equal to' → Mark <= 100

To test that a value is strictly above the boundary, so 50 itself gives FALSE, use 'greater than' → Score > 50

IF Score => 50 THEN → The operator is written the wrong way round. Cambridge pseudocode uses >=, not =>.

IF Age < 18 THEN // 18 should be included → The < operator leaves out 18, so a person aged exactly 18 gives FALSE. To include 18, use <=.

Key Term

< <= > >=

Relational operators that compare the size of two values and give TRUE or FALSE. < and > leave out the boundary value; <= and >= include it, so 50 >= 50 is TRUE but 50 > 50 is FALSE.

Fill in the Blanks

1. IF Score >= 50 THEN OUTPUT "Pass" ENDIF

Hint: Type the operator meaning greater than or equal to, so a score of exactly 50 passes.

2. IF Age < 18 THEN OUTPUT "Under 18" ENDIF

Hint: Type the operator meaning less than, so 18 itself is not included.

3. Result <- 50 <= 50 OUTPUT Result

Hint: Type the operator meaning less than or equal to, which includes the boundary value so the result is TRUE.

4. WHILE Lives > 0 DO Lives <- Lives - 1 ENDWHILE

Hint: Type the operator meaning strictly greater than, so the loop stops when Lives reaches the boundary value 0.

5. Adult <- Age >= 18 OUTPUT Adult

Hint: Type the operator that includes the boundary, so an Age of exactly 18 gives TRUE.

Spot the Error

Question 1

A DECLARE Score : INTEGER

B INPUT Score

C Pass <- FALSE

D IF Score => 50 THEN

E Pass <- TRUE

F ENDIF

Line D — There is no => operator in pseudocode. 'Greater than or equal to' is written >= (the > comes first). The line should be IF Score >= 50 THEN.

Question 2

A DECLARE Age : INTEGER

B INPUT Age

C IF Age <= 18 THEN

D OUTPUT "Under 18"

E ENDIF

Line C — <= includes the boundary, so an 18-year-old would be told 'Under 18'. Under 18 means strictly less than 18, so use <. The line should be IF Age < 18 THEN.

Question 3

A DECLARE Mark : INTEGER

B INPUT Mark

C OUTPUT "Pass mark is 50"

D IF Mark > 50 THEN

E OUTPUT "Pass"

F ENDIF

Line D — The pass mark is 50, so a mark of exactly 50 must pass. > leaves out 50 (50 > 50 is FALSE). Use >= to include the boundary: IF Mark >= 50 THEN.

Question 4

A INPUT Temp

B IF Temp =< 0 THEN

C OUTPUT "Freezing"

D ENDIF

Line B — The symbols are in the wrong order. 'Less than or equal to' is written <=, not =<. The line should be IF Temp <= 0 THEN.

Question 5

A DECLARE Age : INTEGER

B INPUT Age

C IF Age <= 18 THEN

D OUTPUT "Adult"

E ENDIF

Line C — The comparison points the wrong way. Adults are aged 18 or MORE, so the condition needs >=, not <=. The line should be IF Age >= 18 THEN.

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