How to compare different choices of different methods

Question

Suppose I have different methods, A, B and C. Suppose further I used these method to select me colour balls. Assume that I need to select three balls using each method. Assume that method A selected 2 reds balls and one green ball. Assume further that, both method B and C selected 3 green balls. Now, I would like to say that method A slect 2 balls different from the choise of method B and C.

Method A selected two balls that are different from the balls selected by both method B and C.

Is my sentence clear and understandable. If not, how can I express my idea in a clear way?

Answer 1

One issue is that you haven't said how the balls are different. You would to express that it's their colour that's different. I would also put everything in the past tense (your sentence currently has one verb in the present tense). Last, if you say method B and C it could almost be interpreted as if those two methods were combined when they selected different balls—rather than making it clear that they each selected their own (and different) balls.

In short, this is how I would rephrase it:

Method A selected two differently coloured balls than those selected by either method B or C.

However, that might also lead to some confusion. After all, all three methods did select at least one green ball. That sentence doesn't describe the exact results.

To be even more explicit, say exactly what happened—which requires more extensive rephrasing:

Unlike either method B or C, which each selected three green balls, method A selected one green ball and two red balls.