Decimal.Compare() Method In C#

In this article, we will discuss the Decimal.Compare method in C# with its syntax, parameters, and examples.

What is the Decimal.Compare method?

The Decimal.Compare method compares two decimal values in C#. This method returns an integer indicating whether one decimal place is less than, equal to, or greater than the second decimal place.

Syntax:

It has the following syntax:

public static int Compare(decimal d1, decimal d2);

Parameters:

d1: This parameter is used to determine the first value to compare.

d2: The second value to be compared is specified by this parameter.

Return value:

• ✅ It returns a signed number indicating the relative values of d1 and d2 .
• ✅ A value less than zero means d1 is less than d2.
• ✅ A value greater than zero means d1 is greater than d2.
• ✅ A value of zero means d1 is equal to d2.

Case 1: If d1 is less than d2.

Let us take an example to illustrate the Decimal.Compare method if d1 is less than d2 in C#.

Filename: Decimalcompare1.cs

using System; 
using System.Globalization; 
class DecimalCompare{ 

	// Main Method 
	public static void Main() 
	{ 

		// the variable declaration
		Decimal d1 = 42; 
		Decimal d2 = 43; 
		
		//The two decimal values are compared using the Decimal.compare() method.
		Decimal val= Decimal.Compare(d1, d2); 

		//The console statement to display the output
		Console.WriteLine("The compared value is: {0}", val); 
	} 
}

Output:

The compared value is: -1

Explanation:

In this example, the given C# program shows how to compare two decimal values , d1 and d2, using the Decimal.Compare method. Conversion starts with value 42 or 43. After that, the Decimal. compare method is used to calculate the relationship between these two decimal numbers, and the result is stored in the variable val. Finally, the program uses Console.WriteLine to print the value comparison. The result is expected to be either negative, zero, or positive and then incremented by a different number. In the case where d1 is 42 and d2 is 43, the result should be negative if d1 is less than d2.

Case 2: If d1 is greater than d2.

Let us take an example to illustrate the Decimal.Compare method if d1 is greater than d2 in C#.

Filename: Decimalcompare2.cs

using System; 
using System.Globalization; 
class DecimalCompare{ 

	// Main Method 
	public static void Main() 
	{ 

		// the variable declaration
		Decimal d1 = 100; 
		Decimal d2 = 56; 
		
		//The two decimal values are compared using the Decimal.compare() method.
		Decimal val= Decimal.Compare(d1, d2); 

		//The console statement to display the output
		Console.WriteLine("The compared value is: {0}", val); 
	} 
}

Output:

The compared value is: 1

Explanation:

In this example, the given C# program shows how to compare two decimal values , d1 and d2, using the Decimal.Compare method. Conversion starts with a value of 100 or 56. After that, the Decimal.compare method is used to calculate the relationship between these two decimal numbers, and the result is stored in the variable val. Finally, the program uses Console.WriteLine to print the value comparison. The result is expected to be either negative, zero, or positive and then incremented by a different number. In the case where d1 is 42 and d2 is 43, the result should be positive if d1 is more than d2. Hence, the result obtained is 1.

Case 3: If the values of d1 and d2 are equal.

Let us take an example to illustrate the Decimal.Compare method if d1 and d2 are equal in C#.

Filename: Decimalcompare2.cs

using System; 
using System.Globalization; 
class DecimalCompare{ 
	// Main Method 
	public static void Main() 
	{ 

		// the variable declaration
		Decimal d1 = 200; 
		Decimal d2 = 200; 
		//The two decimal values are compared 
                         // using the Decimal.compare() method.
		Decimal val= Decimal.Compare(d1, d2); 

		//The console statement to display the output
		Console.WriteLine("The compared value is : {0}", val); 
	} 
}

Output:

The compared value is : 0

Explanation:

In this example, the given C# program shows how to compare two decimal values , d1 and d2, using the Decimal.Compare method. Conversion starts with a value of 200 or 200. After that, the Decimal.compare method is used to calculate the relationship between these two decimal numbers, and the result is stored in the variable val. Finally, the program uses Console.WriteLine to print the value comparison. The result is expected to be either negative, zero, or positive and then incremented by a different number. In the particular case where d1 is 200 and d2 is 200, if d1 is equal to d2, the result should be 0. Hence, the result obtained is 0, as d1 and d2 are equal.

Advantages of using Decimal.Compare Method

There are several advantages of the Decimal.Compare Method in C#. Some main advantages of the Decimal.Compare method in C#.

• ✅ Consistent and predictable: The Compare method follows the standard rules of returning -1 for less than, 0 for equal to, and 1 for greater than. This consistency makes it easy to integrate into various comparison scenarios, which also prevents ambiguity.
• ✅ Floating point precision is acceptable: C# allows for decimal numbers with higher precision than floating point types (such as float and double), making them appropriate for financial and corporate accounting.
• ✅ Using Decimal.Compare guarantees an incomplete comparison for information related to floating point numbers.
• ✅ Avoid Rounding Errors: Rounding errors can have a significant impact on the preparation of financial reports. The Decimal.Compare method allows us to compare decimal numbers without introducing rounding errors with other numeric types.