From 09a858918244aaaafcb4097f587066732be803b4 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Ed Hennis <ed@ripple.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Jun 2026 21:54:21 -0400
Subject: [PATCH] Fix the problem

---
 include/xrpl/basics/Number.h    | 29 +++++++++++++++--------------
 src/test/basics/Number_test.cpp |  4 ++--
 2 files changed, 17 insertions(+), 16 deletions(-)

diff --git a/include/xrpl/basics/Number.h b/include/xrpl/basics/Number.h
index 93bef82a8c..a93f7f8ad3 100644
--- a/include/xrpl/basics/Number.h
+++ b/include/xrpl/basics/Number.h
@@ -408,33 +408,34 @@ public:
     }
 
     friend constexpr bool
-    operator<(Number const& x, Number const& y) noexcept
+    operator<(Number const& l, Number const& r) noexcept
     {
+        bool const lneg = l.negative_;
+        bool const rneg = r.negative_;
+
         // If the two amounts have different signs (zero is treated as positive)
         // then the comparison is true iff the left is negative.
-        bool const lneg = x.negative_;
-        bool const rneg = y.negative_;
-
         if (lneg != rneg)
             return lneg;
 
-        // Both have same sign and the left is zero: the right must be
-        // greater than 0.
-        if (x.mantissa_ == 0)
-            return y.mantissa_ > 0;
+        // Both have same sign and the left is zero: both must be non-negative.
+        // If the right is greater than 0, then it is larger, so the comparison is true.
+        if (l.mantissa_ == 0)
+            return r.mantissa_ > 0;
 
-        // Both have same sign, the right is zero and the left is non-zero.
-        if (y.mantissa_ == 0)
+        // Both have same sign, the right is zero and the left is non-zero, so the left must be
+        // positive, and thus is larger, so the comparison is false.
+        if (r.mantissa_ == 0)
             return false;
 
         // Both have the same sign, compare by exponents:
-        if (x.exponent_ > y.exponent_)
+        if (l.exponent_ > r.exponent_)
             return lneg;
-        if (x.exponent_ < y.exponent_)
+        if (l.exponent_ < r.exponent_)
             return !lneg;
 
-        // If equal exponents, compare mantissas
-        return x.mantissa_ < y.mantissa_;
+        // If equal signs and exponents, compare mantissas. If negative, the operator is reversed.
+        return lneg ? l.mantissa_ > r.mantissa_ : l.mantissa_ < r.mantissa_;
     }
 
     /** Return the sign of the amount */
diff --git a/src/test/basics/Number_test.cpp b/src/test/basics/Number_test.cpp
index a688aaceb0..2402cc69b6 100644
--- a/src/test/basics/Number_test.cpp
+++ b/src/test/basics/Number_test.cpp
@@ -1404,7 +1404,7 @@ public:
                 {-20, -50, __LINE__},
             });
 
-            for (auto const [larger, smaller, line] : c)
+            for (auto const& [larger, smaller, line] : c)
             {
                 std::stringstream ss;
                 ss << larger << " > " << smaller;
@@ -1429,7 +1429,7 @@ public:
                 {-30, __LINE__},
                 {-600, __LINE__},
             });
-            for (auto const [n, line] : c)
+            for (auto const& [n, line] : c)
             {
                 auto const str = to_string(n);