Which of the following sets of Library of Congress call numbers is in the correct order?
A. E88 G2512 S57 1998, E88 G62 D225, E88 G62 L45, E88 G62 L166 1995
B. E88 G62 D225, E88 G62 L166 1995, E88 G62 L45, E88 G2512 S57 1998
C. E88 G62 L166 1995, E88 G62 L45, E88 G62 D225, E88 G2512 S57 1998
D. E88 G2512 S57 1998, E88 G62 D225, E88 G62 L166 1995, E88 G62 L45
To determine the correct order of a set of Library of Congress call numbers, you need to understand how the call number system works. The Library of Congress call number system uses a combination of letters and numbers to classify and arrange materials in its collections.
In the Library of Congress call number system, the letters at the beginning of the call number represent the subject area or genre of the item. The following set of letters generally indicates a classification for American history: E. After the letters, a combination of numbers and/or letters follows to further specify the subject within that classification.
To determine the correct order of the given sets of call numbers, you need to compare them letter by letter from left to right, proceeding to the next character if the previous characters are the same. Let's analyze the options:
A. E88 G2512 S57 1998, E88 G62 D225, E88 G62 L45, E88 G62 L166 1995
- The first letters are all the same, E88, so we move to the next character, G, which is also the same.
- Now the third character is different: G62 vs. G2512. Since 62 comes before 2512 alphabetically, G62 comes before G2512.
- Comparing the next characters, we have D225 vs. G62, and again D comes before G.
- Finally, comparing L45 and L166, 45 comes before 166.
So the order in this option would be:
E88 G62 D225, E88 G62 L45, E88 G62 L166 1995, E88 G2512 S57 1998
B. E88 G62 D225, E88 G62 L166 1995, E88 G62 L45, E88 G2512 S57 1998
- The first letters are the same, E88, which means we move to the next character, G.
- Continuing to the next character, the first option is D225, and the second option is L166. Since D before L, the order would be D before L.
- Proceeding to the next character, we have G62 vs. G62, which doesn't affect the order since they are the same.
- Finally, we have L45 and G2512. In this case, L comes before G, so L45 would come before G2512.
So the correct order for this option would be:
E88 G62 D225, E88 G62 L45, E88 G62 L166 1995, E88 G2512 S57 1998
C. E88 G62 L166 1995, E88 G62 L45, E88 G62 D225, E88 G2512 S57 1998
- The first character is the same, E88.
- Comparing G62 and G62, they are the same.
- However, when comparing L166 and L45, 45 comes before 166 alphabetically.
- Finally, comparing G62 and D225, D comes before G.
So the correct order would actually be:
E88 G62 D225, E88 G62 L45, E88 G62 L166 1995, E88 G2512 S57 1998
D. E88 G2512 S57 1998, E88 G62 D225, E88 G62 L166 1995, E88 G62 L45
- The first character is the same, E88.
- The second characters are different: G2512, G62, G62. Since 2512 comes after 62 alphabetically, G2512 comes after G62 in the order.
- Comparing the next characters, D comes before G.
- Finally, L166 comes after L45.
So the correct order for this option would be:
E88 G62 D225, E88 G62 L45, E88 G62 L166 1995, E88 G2512 S57 1998
Based on the analysis above, the correct order of the sets of Library of Congress call numbers is option B:
E88 G62 D225, E88 G62 L166 1995, E88 G62 L45, E88 G2512 S57 1998