What the difference between the solution and answer?
Clarification added 1 month ago:
P.S. Dear colleagues, solution also may be insufficient, intermediate, just the same as an answer, isn't it?
Answers (12)
Judy B. M
Business Writer and Editor, Marketing Communications, and B2B Specialist
Best Answers in: Using LinkedIn (47), Writing and Editing (12), Business Development (9), Public Relations (7), Communication and Public Speaking (5), Government Policy (4), Organizational Development (4), Ethics (4), Staffing and Recruiting (3), Quality Management and Standards (3), Career Management (3), Professional Networking (3), Mentoring (2), Conference Planning (2), Advertising (2), Mobile Marketing (2), Planning (2), Social Enterpreneurship (2), Professional Books and Resources (2), Customer Service (1), Purchasing (1), Business Dining and Entertainment (1), Travel Tools (1), Education and Schools (1), Freelancing and Contracting (1), Job Search (1), Resume Writing (1), Accounting (1), Economics (1), Government Services (1), Compensation and Benefits (1), Health Care (1), Internationalization and Localization (1), Internet Marketing (1), Viral Marketing (1), Sales Techniques (1), Change Management (1), Equity Markets (1), Non-profit Fundraising (1), Non-profit Management (1), Branding (1), Product Design (1), Professional Organizations (1), Business Plans (1), Starting Up (1), E-Commerce (1), Computer Networking (1), Telecommunications (1)
If you are using as your reference point the answers in this forum, they are not formulaic and cannot therefore be equated with solutions. Rather, though many are fact based, they amount to suggestions and opinions.
Yavuz B
Financial Consultant at NC3A
Best Answers in: Sales Techniques (1), Professional Networking (1), Green Products (1)
easy:
every solution is an answer to a specific question but not every answer is a solution for a specific question so this equation holds: solution -> answer but not vica versa
Cheers :)
Daniel K
Export Sales Manager at RedBox (Chaoan) Stationery Co., Ltd
Best Answers in: Using LinkedIn (3), Education and Schools (1), Government Policy (1), Public Relations (1), Supply Chain Management (1), Personal Debt Management (1), Wireless (1)
When you havea method or way to solve your problem. It is a solution. If you answer Yes or No, Or simple question like is the world is round, the ANSWER is yes but nothing to do with solution.
a solution is how you get the answer. you use a formula/method
David S
Information Technology and Services Professional
Best Answers in: Using LinkedIn (5), Customer Service (1), Education and Schools (1), Certification and Licenses (1), Personnel Policies (1), Environmental Health (1), Corporate Law (1), Computers and Software (1), Web Development (1)
Just look through many of the questions on here, there are many answers given, but far less solutions that actually address the question fully.
Tirthankar S
Senior Consultant at TalentAhead India Pvt. Ltd.
Best Answers in: Staffing and Recruiting (3), Education and Schools (1), Job Search (1), Using LinkedIn (1)
What is the difference between practical and theory?
Nikhil M
Associate Managing Consultant at Headstrong
Best Answers in: Starting Up (1), Web Development (1)
If you are able to address the queries asked in the question, then it becomes a solution.
Krishnaswami C
Ex banker, Financial advisor, education delivery and management
Best Answers in: Education and Schools (1)
Solution brings a end. Answer can be response but not necessarily an end.
If I were to draw a Venn diagram, solution would be a wholly-contained subset of answer, Answers can be good, bad useful, useless, specious, spurious, or just plain self-serving sciolisms. Only answers that address and rememdy the question/problem are solutions.
James T
M&A Finance
Best Answers in: Accounting (2), Corporate Debt (1), Venture Capital and Private Equity (1), Mergers and Acquisitions (1), Risk Management (1), Hedge Funds (1), Small Business (1), Starting Up (1)
Both words have multiple meanings. Solution, for instance, can be a mixture of substances, such as a salt and water solution. However, this meaning is not relevant to your question.
More relevant to your question, the two words have meanings which are exactly the same. For example, Random House Dictionary (2009) definition 3 of "solution" is "...an explanation or answer" and 4b. states that in Mathematics a meaning of "solution" can be "the answer itself" and similarly gives one definition of "answer" as (5.) "a solution to a problem, esp. in mathematics." Likewise, the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (2009) gives one meaning of "solution" as (1d) "The answer to or disposition of a problem" and gives as defintions of "answer" both "a solution, as to a problem" and "a correct solution."
Historically, "solution" has meanings similar to "solve" while "answer" is derived from the words "and swear". While some of the current meanings are exactly the same, "answer" has a wider variety of meanings that can include responses which are not "solutions". So in communication there is more likely to be a chance of misunderstanding if you use the word "answer" instead of "solution". Some people might not understand if you mean the definition of "answer" which means exactly "solution", or if you mean a definition of "answer" which means a response that is not necessarily a "solution".
Nigel T
Managing Director at Purchant Ltd
Best Answers in: Job Search (1), Resume Writing (1), Organizational Development (1), Planning (1), Quality Management and Standards (1), Branding (1)
I think a solution is the way out of a practical problem / issue, an answer can be much wider and encompassing theoretical and philosophical questions
According to me, a solution is the path or the process leading to an answer. For an answer to be absolute, you have to have a solution. For example, if I have a solution, the answer may be yes or no. If the answer is "may be", "could be", "should be" or "would be", then may be I do not have a solution. Answer to a bigger question, can be a solution which in turn would answer smaller questions in the process.
