differences - “Solution to” vs. “solution of ”


What is the difference between saying solution to the problem and saying solution of the problem?


Are they both equivalent, or is there some difference?



Answer



You almost always hear "solution to the problem" and sometimes "solution for the problem" — but almost never do you hear "of" in that context.



solution |səˈloō sh ən| noun 1 a means of solving a problem or dealing with a difficult situation : there are no easy solutions to financial and marital problems. • the correct answer to a puzzle : the solution to this month's crossword.



Note that both of NOAD's examples use to.


One would use "solution of" if one is referring to a chemical solution:



2 a liquid mixture in which the minor component (the solute) is uniformly distributed within the major component (the solvent).



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