why does this compile?

[Ankur kothari]

   public class And
{
public static void main(String args[])
{
		float f=9.0f;
			char c='a';
		if(f<c)
	{
	}
}
} 

how is (f<c) even compiling? arent they of different types?

[Ankur kothari]

is this because in an arithmetic operation the char will be promoted to float? i think this could be the reason...

please confirm

[rohan yadav]

I think char is internally converted to float or int.

[Chintan B Shah]

I think "widening" happens here and "if" boolean expression would look something like this
if(9<97)

My 2 cents.

Thanks
Chintan.

[Hiruka Sandev]

Internally a char is a 16 bit unsigned integer. So a char can be used in places where a integer literal could be used.

[Dejan Miler]

First of all char is of integer type.
And secondly i agree with Ankur char will be promoted to float.

Dejan.