Numerical and Chronological Order
Strings representing numbers may be sorted based on the values of the numbers that they represent. For example, "-4", "2.5", "10", "89", "30,000". Note that pure application of this method may provide only a partial ordering on the strings, since different strings can represent the same number (as with "2" and "2.0", or when scientific notation is used, "2e3" and "2000").
A similar approach may be taken with strings representing dates or other items that can be ordered chronologically or in some other natural fashion.
Read more about this topic: Collation
Famous quotes containing the words numerical and/or order:
“There is a genius of a nation, which is not to be found in the numerical citizens, but which characterizes the society.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
““New order of the ages” did we say?
If it looks none too orderly today,
‘Tis a confusion it was ours to start
So in it have to take courageous part.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)