How would you compare apples and oranges?

Question

I hate the cliche' "You can't compare apples to oranges." because it's not true. I have personally compared apples to oranges and it works just fine. How would you compare apples to oranges?

Answer 1

You're right, it's not the best analogy. Apples and oranges are both fruits, they both grow on trees, they both have seeds in the middle; however, they have differences: you can eat the skin of an apple and not an orange, an orange has segments, but an apple doesn't. I guess it's all in the way you look at it!

Answer 2

Actually you can compare apples and oranges through statistics. First you would figure out what traits you wanted to compare. You would put those into bell shaped curves and figure out standard deviations. you then standardize them. Then you would make up a selection index putting different weights on the traits depending on how important they were to you. you can then compare apples and oranges to see which ones are better. Its the same thing we do to compare animals for breeding to make the most genetic progress possible per generation. This was obviously a quick overview and I may have skipped a step or two but you get the idea that it is doable.

Answer 3

i trust the difficulty right it is actual one of two definitions. One definition of theory is 'some theory someone has which could were examined yet is a techniques from respected by ability of the medical community at large' or somesuch and yet another is 'medical theory that has been carefully examined and looks sound yet we are waiting for it to be overturned b/c that is how technological understanding works'. Evolution is the second one style of theory. That i'm able to fly if I flap my hands not common sufficient and suck up sufficient helium is the first variety. So ...apples to oranges ? properly evolution is a properly respected medical theory. So is gravity. so a techniques as them both being theories is going...both are apples. so a techniques as gravity being evolution is going...apples and oranges. i'm hoping this solutions your question.

Answer 4

Well I would not compare apples to oranges, however if it works for you, I would say to you that you should feel happy in doing that which most persons are incapable of doing.



As I see it while there are very slight similarity's in them such as general size and shape, they are as different as night and day in every other respect with only one other exception, and that is that I love to eat both of them.

Answer 5

I believe the correct statement is "You are comparing apples and oranges." It is intended to point out that someone is comparing two items incorrectly.



Example: if you are suppose to be comparing American car with foreign cars and you add a horse drawn wagon to the mix then you would be comparing apples (cars) with oranges (wagons).

Answer 6

The point of the phrase is that they're a different noun. If you want to measure the goodness of an apple, you compare it to other apples. Likewise if you want to rate an orange you compare it to other oranges. To compare kinds of fruit is to compare oranges to apples. Its a sentence structure that makes the phrase poignant. Usually when you use the term compare, you compare "noun" not noun to noun. ie. compare oranges. or compare apples.

Answer 7

It is a federal offense to compare apples and oranges without first obtaining the proper training and then acquiring a license. Proceed with caution my friend....

Answer 8

besides the fact they are both FRUIT..nothing is really to compare about them..hence the cliche

Answer 9

i would compare them the same as i would compare anything else



look and think about there diffence's and similarites and



and compare there pro's and con's in diffrent circumstances



oranges are better thay just are

Answer 10

The fact that they're different automatically makes them comparable -- how else would we know that they were different if X cannot be compared to Y?



I detest that phrase. Pfft.

Answer 11

on's red and ones "orange"

Answer 12

The color, feel, taste, look, size, everything. And you're right, it's not true.

Answer 13

YOu can't. You can only contrast them.

Answer 14

You can't. They are different.