What is the function of a relational operator in GIS?

The function of a relational operator in GIS is to establish a relationship between two values. Relational operators are used to compare values and determine their relative positions or characteristics within a set of data. In GIS, these operators enable users to create queries that filter and analyze spatial data based on specific criteria, such as equality, inequality, greater than, less than, and so on.

This capability is essential in spatial analysis, allowing users to generate subsets of data for further examination or to visualize relationships and patterns within the data. For example, a relational operator can be used to find all features in a dataset that meet a certain criterion, such as all parcels of land that are greater than a specific area size.

The other options, while related to logical operations and data assessment, do not fully capture the specific role of relational operators in the context of comparing and establishing relationships between two distinct values in GIS.