Definition
Order
Order is the arrangement of values or objects according to a stated rule.
What it means
First choose the rule: smallest to largest, largest to smallest, first to last, or another clear rule. Then compare and place each item so the whole list follows that rule. Equal values can sit next to one another.
Remember it
Choose the rule, then place each item.
Example
Put 14, 8, 11, and 8 in ascending order. The rule is least to greatest, so the ordered list is 8, 8, 11, 14.
Watch for
A row is not automatically ordered just because its items are written next to one another; the arrangement must follow a stated rule.
Common mix-up
Comparing asks about two values; ordering arranges a whole set by the comparison rule.
Exact meaning
Order is an arrangement of numbers, measures, objects, or positions that follows a stated comparison or sequence rule.