But, if the numbers aren’t related, then the “rule of ten” applies.
Also, your example in 10, concerning the students, is correct because the numbers are related. In other forms the word “percent” should be used. The percentage symbol is for business use, such as visual presentation. But, concerning 7, the percentage symbol should not be used in everyday writing.
Rounded numbers over a million are written as a numeral plus a word. If the number is rounded or estimated, spell it out. With everyday writing and recipes you can use digits, like “4% of the children” or “Add 2 cups of brown rice.” In formal writing, however, you should spell the percentage out like “12 percent of the players” (or “twelve percent of the players,” depending on your preference as explained in point three).Ĩ. Use the Eighties or nineteenth century.ħ. Centuries and decades should be spelled out. Make it “Fourscore and seven years ago,” not “4 score and 7 years ago.” That means you might have to rewrite some sentences: “Fans bought 400,000 copies the first day” instead of “400,000 copies were sold the first day.”Ħ. Finally, the International Systems of Units (SI) recommends that a space should be used to separate groups of three digits, and both the comma and the period should be used only to denote decimals, like $13 200,50 (the comma part is a mess… I know).ĥ. In Continental Europe the opposite is true, periods are used to separate large numbers and the comma is used for decimals. So write the size of Alaska as 571,951 square miles instead of 571951 square miles. In English, the comma is used as a thousands separator (and the period as a decimal separator), to make large numbers easier to read. That is, they say you should write out twelve or twenty. Two-word numbers should be expressed in figures. Some experts say that any one-word number should be written out. No other standard rule: Experts don’t always agree on other rules. If you don’t spell numbers out it will look like you’re sending an instant message, and you want to be more formal than that in your writing.ģ. The small numbers, such as whole numbers smaller than ten, should be spelled out. One could say that the difference between a number and its numerals is like the difference between a person and her name.Ģ. “Three,” “3” and “III” are all symbols used to express the same number (or the concept of “threeness”). First things first, what is the difference between a number and a numeral? A number is an abstract concept while a numeral is a symbol used to express that number. How do you express numbers in your writing? When do you use figures (digits) and when do you write out the number in words (letters)? That is, when do you write 9 and when do you write nine?ġ. See also numbers from 1 to 10 in different languages.10 Rules for Writing Numbers and Numerals By Michael The following is a list of names of the numbers from 11 to 20 in several different