Relational Operator Results

A relational operator compares two values and returns a Boolean result: either True or False. Python 3 has six of them, and the symbol you choose decides exactly when the answer is True.

What each operator returns

The two strict operators, > and <, return False for two equal values, because neither value is strictly bigger or strictly smaller than the other. The two-character versions >= and <= add equality in, so they return True at the boundary. If a cinema ticket costs 12 and your limit is 12, then price > limit gives False but price >= limit gives True.

Write each operator as one unit with no space inside it: >= is correct, while > = is not. Use == for testing equality, since a single = assigns a value instead of comparing.

What the operands can be

The values either side of the operator are its operands. They can be variables, literals written straight into the line, such as a number or a string, or whole expressions. Python works out the value of each side at the moment the line runs, then compares those two values.

• lives == 3 compares a variable with a number literal.
• 2 + 6 > 9 compares an expression with a literal, so 8 > 9 gives False.
• score != best compares two variables.

Evaluating a comparison on its own

A relational expression does not need an if around it. You can store its result in a variable or print it directly, and the output is the Boolean value True or False — never a number, and never a word like yes.

distance = 250
limit = 250

in_range = distance <= limit
print(in_range)
print(distance < limit)
print(distance != limit)

Output:

True
False
False

The variable enough holds a Boolean, so it can be tested later or displayed to check your logic while building a program.