= Strict weak order
{title2=$a\sim b\iff\neg(a<b)\land\neg(b<a)$}
An irreflexive transitive comparison whose induced incomparability relation is transitive. Incomparability is then an <equivalence relation>, and its classes are totally ordered by the comparison. A comparison-based <sorting algorithm> can treat incomparable elements as ties; a <merge algorithm> that takes from the left input on ties preserves <stable sorting>. Ordinary ordering on <real numbers> is an example; machine NaN values require separate handling.
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