Edit yourself: Numbers

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Numbers

One style is to use words for single-digit numbers and to use numerals for all others; another is to use words for single-digit and double-digit numbers and to use numerals for all others. Percentages should nonetheless be written as numerals (2 percent); large rough numbers as words (a million); large precise numbers as a combination of numerals and words (1.3 billion). There naturally are other views. Some editors recommend the use of figures all the time; others, the use of words, even for three million four hundred ninety thousand dollars. Whatever the system you adopt, be consistent.

INCONSISTENT		CONSISTENT
two cars on one page and 2 cars on the next	CHANGE TO	two cars on one page and two cars on the next
the first on one page and the 1st on the next	CHANGE TO	the first on one page and the first on the next
eleven o'clock on one page and 11 o'clock on the next	CHANGE TO	eleven o'clock on one page and eleven o'clock on the next
1950s on one page and 50's, 1950's, fifties, Fifties, nineteen fifties, or Nineteen Fifties on the next	CHANGE TO	1950s on one page and 1950s on the next
0.5 on one page and .5 on the next	CHANGE TO	0.5 on one page and 0.5 on the next
1994–95 on one page and 1994–1995 on the next	CHANGE TO	1994–95 on one page and 1994–95 on the next
two-thirds on one page and 2/3 on the next	CHANGE TO	two-thirds on one page and two-thirds on the next

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