181
21.3 when 1–10 can be used as digits rather than words 1. Use digits not words when numbers are in
association with percentages, abbreviations for measurements, tables, and figures etc. You can optionally use digits rather than words when
2. The second number in a range of numbers is higher than eleven alternatively write both numbers as words.
3. There is a series of numbers, or in ratios and proportions.
4. Numbers act as adjectives. Note the use of hyphens (
25.6
).
YES ALSO POSSIBLE 1
As shown in Table 3 , the patient was only
1.20 m tall and weighed
9 kg . Her percentage body fatwas
9.9%. 2 The
process usually takes between 4 and 12 days. The process usually takes between
four and twelve days.
3 In the last three years
the numbers have risen by 11, 6 and 7 , respectively. In the last three years the numbers have risen by
eleven, six and seven , respectively.
3 Multiple mating by females occurred in only
5 out of 34 species. Multiple mating by females occurred in only
fi ve out of thirty-four species.
4 ab 3-pointb turn, ab 4-dayb week, ab size 7 component, ab 6-year-oldb child ab six-year-oldb child
182
21.4 making numbers plural 1. Whole
numbers do not require an -s to indicate the plural and no preposition is used between the number and the noun.
2. An exception to Rule 1 is in expressions such as
tens, dozens, hundreds, thousands , i.e. to indicate large generic numbers. In such cases
of follows the number.
3.
Fractions require an -s plural.
4. For reasons for readability, make single digits plural using ’
s. However, for other numbers (including dates) simply add an
s. 5. A noun which follows a number is used in the singular form when acting as an adjective (technically these are called numerical modifiers. Note the use of hyphens (
25.6
).
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