Consider the question. The symbols \<and\> first appear in Artis Analyticae Praxis ad Aequationes Algebraicas Resolvendas (The Analytical Arts Applied to Solving Algebraic Equations) by Thomas Harriot (1560 -- 1621), which was published posthumously in 1631. The text states: "Signum majoritatis ut a > b significet a majorem quam b" and "Signum minoritatis ut a < b significet a minorem quam b."

Answer this question based on the passage: who invented the greater than and less than sign?
 What is the step-by-step reasoning process to arrive at the answer: Thomas Harriot?
The important part for answering this question is: The symbols \<and\> first appear in Artis Analyticae Praxis ad Aequationes Algebraicas Resolvendas (The Analytical Arts Applied to Solving Algebraic Equations) by Thomas Harriot (1560 -- 1621), which was published posthumously in 1631.