numbers
1. Units of Measurement and Mathematical Expressions
Use numerals with units of measurement and time.
2-1/2 hours | 87 years |
4.5 months | 6 liters |
36 cm | 25 kW |
With units of time, you can spell out numbers less than 10 if you do so consistently (this applies mainly to outreach products rather than technical reports and papers).
two-hour test
three-week turnaround
Use numerals to imply arithmetical values or manipulation.
multiplied by 2
a ratio of 4:5
values of 1 and 48
Express measurement errors as:
Leave a space between the number and the unit of measurement (0.2 nm) and put spaces around the operation sign. When the measurement error appears by itself, omit the space between the sign and the number.
2. Aligning Numbers
Align numbers that share a common unit of measurement on the decimals in columns of tables. Put a zero before the decimal in numbers smaller than one.
0.800
2.450
187.362
If all the numbers in a column do not share the same unit of measurement, you may center the numbers in the column and specify the unit of measurement.
3. Fractions and Decimals
You can spell out and hyphenate simple fractions (this is preferred in text) or express them, like more complex fractions, in numerals with a solidus.
1/64 (but not 1/64th)
Use a hyphen to separate the integral and fractional parts of a mixed number, or convert the fraction to a decimal.
2.5-cm-diameter solar cell
For numbers of 1 million or more, use the numeral (and a decimal, if necessary) and the words million, billion, etc.
3.5 billion people
$2.5 million in funding
4. Precision and Numbers
Measurement uncertainty analysis calls for precision in measurements to a significant digit to the right of a decimal point, such as two or three digits (hundredths or thousandths). If you're not absolutely sure, check with an expert before changing the number of digits to the right of the decimal, or rounding the numbers. See also standard errors.
5. Punctuating Numbers
Use a comma to separate groups of three digits in numbers.
113,728
2,225,000
6. Ranges of Numbers
To show ranges, use an en dash (which is a little shorter than an em or long dash) with no spaces. Alternatively, if you write out a range, make sure you use the word "to" when you use "of" or "from" before the range. To express a range between some number and another number, always use the word "and" (not "to") with the word "between."
from 32°C to 40°C
6–12 cm
from 66 to 80 V
10–20 m2
between 8 and 12 m (not "between 8 to 12 m")
$3 million–$4 million
Note that some symbols, such as ° and %, are repeated in a range.
7. Scientific Notation
Express multiples of SI (metric) units in powers of 10 with the appropriate prefixes and technical abbreviations.
MJ (megajoules, 106 J)
Use standard scientific notation to express very small and very large numbers.
3.56 × 106
Avoid using M to mean "thousands" and MM to mean "millions"; use a capital M for "mega," or millions, as in MW for "megawatts."
8. Spelling out Numbers
Except with units of measurement and time (in technical reports), spell out numbers less than 10.
three species of yeast
Spell out all numbers at the beginning of a sentence.
Thirty-five participants attended the seminar.
In general, spell out numbers at the beginning of a bulleted item, but use best judgment depending on the context (e.g., a list of sentence fragments using numbers with many digits).
- Seven staff occupied the laboratory while performing electrical work.
- Twenty-five staff observed from a nearby corridor.
- 30 states
- 1.6 million individual PV systems
- 81% of all U.S. residential and nonresidential systems.
When a sentence contains one or more numbers greater than nine that are related to a smaller number, use numerals for all of them.
The contractor tested 8 devices in May, 12 in June, and 9 in July.
Spell out the first of two adjacent numbers unless the first one requires three or more words.
thirty-two 4-cm2 devices
135 16-cm collectors
See also fractions.
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