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Indices vs Indexes
Difference, Examples & Quiz

What's the difference? Which one is correct?

Indices

Definition: Indices is the plural form of the word index. It refers to a list or system used to find information or data.

Usage: Indices are commonly used in various fields such as finance, mathematics, and databases.

Example sentences:
  • 1. The stock market index provides a measure of the overall performance of a group of stocks.
  • 2. In mathematics, indices are used to represent the power or exponent of a number.
  • 3. Database indexes improve the efficiency of data retrieval operations.
Indexes

Definition: Indexes is an alternative plural form of the word index. It also refers to a list or system used to find information or data.

Usage: Indexes is less commonly used than indices, but it is still accepted and understood in most contexts.

Example sentences:
  • 1. The book contains multiple indexes to help readers locate specific topics.
  • 2. Search engines use indexes to quickly retrieve relevant web pages.
  • 3. Library catalogs often have indexes for authors, titles, and subjects.

Indices and indexes are both plural forms of the word index. In general, indices is used in mathematical and scientific contexts, while indexes is used in everyday language and in the context of databases and information retrieval systems.

Quizzes about "Indices" vs "Indexes"

Indices vs Indexes: 5 Quizzes

1. What is the correct spelling?

2. Which spelling is incorrect?

3. Choose the right spelling.

4. Which spelling is right?

5. What is the proper spelling?

FAQs

  • What are indices?

    Indices are data structures that improve the speed of data retrieval operations on a database table.

  • How do indices work?

    Indices work by creating a separate data structure that contains the indexed column values and a pointer to the actual data.

  • Why are indices important?

    Indices help in speeding up query execution by reducing the number of disk I/O operations required to fetch the data.

  • What is the difference between indices and indexes?

    In general, 'indices' is the plural form of 'index', but both terms are often used interchangeably in the context of databases.

  • When should I create an index?

    You should create an index on columns that are frequently used in search conditions or join operations to improve query performance.