x is lower than y

GoTribe21

On ordering games where a rule says x is lower than y, does that mean x is less than y? For example, if there are 6 slots, if y is 2 then x is 1 right? Or did I just completely bomb the November exam LOL.

Cant Get Right

It can depend, but x being lower than y most typically means that x is to the right of y, which would normally be a higher number. It really depends though, so here's a couple examples:

If the slots are in a ranked hierarchy, a ranking with a lower number is better. Number 1 is the best ranking, right? If x has his piano lesson lower in the order of students than y, then that would mean that y has her lesson before x. Y would thus be in a lower numbered slot relative to x.

But a similar rule, without the rankings hierarchy, would likely change things. So with something like "if six sprinters are each in exactly one lane, numbered 1 to 6 . . . ," then the positions are not really ranked like in the previous example. Here, I would expect a rule placing x in a lower numbered position than y would mean that x would be to the left of y and therefore in a lower number.

Hope this helps!