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Numbers & Numbers & numeralsnumerals

Lessons for copyeditors

By Jeff South

VCU School of Mass Communications

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In general:In general: Spell out whole numbers below 10. Use numerals (figures)

for 10 and above. This applies to ordinal numbers,

too:first, second, third, 10th, 22nd, 100th

...

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Examples:Examples: They had 10 dogs, six cats and 97

fish. We saw 12 cities in four days. That’s the third test this week. She finished 15th in the class.

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Now you try!Now you try! I bought (9/nine) books. I bought nine books. She caught (24/twenty-four) catfish. She caught 24 catfish. On his (2nd/second) try, he won

the election. On his second try, he won

the election.

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But there are But there are exceptionsexceptions Addresses Ages Aircraft Dates Highways Money

No. 1... Percentages Speeds Sports Temperatures Times

And dimensions

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Use numbers for:Use numbers for: House numbers in addresses

901 W. Main St.5 Oakland Ave.18 E. Broad St.

AgesSmith, 23, …… 3-year-old Bobby …… 6-month-old puppy

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Use numbers for:Use numbers for: Aircraft, spacecraft

B-1 bomberApollo 15Boeing 747

DatesSept. 6May 12Dec. 25

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Use numbers for:Use numbers for: Highway designations

Interstate 95U.S. Highway 250Route 1A

Monetary units$75 cents$412 billion

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Use numbers for:Use numbers for: No.

Virginia Tech is ranked No. 1 ...The No. 2 team is ...The United States was No. 3 ...

Percentages1 percent45 percent0.4 percent

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Use numbers for:Use numbers for: Speeds

5 mph100 mph50 knots

SportsThey lost, 3-2.He caught a 9-yard pass.… 5 under par

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Use numbers for:Use numbers for: Temperatures

5 degrees above zeroin the 80s9 degrees below zero

Timesat 6 a.m.after 11:20 p.m.But: noon, midnight

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Now you try!Now you try! They live at (9/Nine) Grace St. They live at 9 Grace St. She is (7/seven) years old. She is 7 years old. The (F-4/F-Four) crashed. The F-4 crashed. The meeting will be on May (6/Six/6th). The meeting will be on May 6.

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Now you try!Now you try! Take U.S. (1/One). Take U.S. 1. It costs (10/ten) cents. It costs 10 cents. They are ranked No. (1/One). They are ranked No. 1.

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Now you try!Now you try! Less than (1/one) percent Less than 1 percent It was going (20/twenty) mph. It was going 20 mph. The Mets lost, (5-4, five-four, five to four). The Mets lost, 5-4. It was (8/eight) degrees. It was 8 degrees.

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Now you try!Now you try! At (8/eight) a.m. At 8 a.m. The record was minus (12/twelve)

degrees, set at (3/three) a.m. on Jan. (4/4th/Fourth).

The record was minus 12 degrees, set at 3 a.m. on Jan. 4.

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DimensionsDimensions Use figures and spell out

inches, feet, yards, etc. He is 5 feet 6 inches tall The 6-foot-3-inch man … The car is 12 feet long and 5 feet

wide. The 9-by-12 rug The storm left 4 inches of snow.

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Ordinal numbersOrdinal numbers Political designations

7th Congressional District3rd Ward12th House District

Court system4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals10th District Court

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Ordinal numbersOrdinal numbers Military titles and organizations

the 5th BattalionFor 2nd Lt. Bill Turnerthe 101st Infantry

Street namesFirst Street … Ninth Street10th Street, 11th Street, 22nd Street9 Second Ave., 440 45th St., 56 E. 21st St.

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Now you try!Now you try! She lives at seven twenty-ninth St. She lives at 7 29th St. A candidate in the 7th House District

… A candidate in the 7th House District

… The Fifth U.S. District Court The 5th U.S. District Court

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Now you try!Now you try! The U.S. 11th Armored Cavalry The U.S. 11th Armored Cavalry … to Second Lt. Emma Wyatt. … to 2nd Lt. Emma Wyatt. The building at 100 North First

Avenue The building at 100 N. First Ave.

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Write out numbers:Write out numbers: Beginning a sentence

Twelve students were arrested. Numbers under 10 (unless covered

by a previous rule)She bought seven books and two pens.

FractionsTwo-thirds, one-fourth, a fifth ...

Casual numbersIt’s happened a million times.

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Recast sentencesRecast sentences Don’t write:

Fifteen semester hours is the limit. Instead, write:

The limit is 15 semester hours.

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Now you tryNow you try They live on (9th/Ninth) Street. They live on Ninth Street. The (1st/First) Amendment The First Amendment I have (3/three) cats. I have three cats.

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Now you tryNow you try About (2/3 or two-thirds) of the

students voted in the election. About two-thirds of the students

voted in the election. He had (a dozen/12) reasons for

missing class. He had a dozen reasons for

missing class.

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Now you tryNow you try 15th Street is closed,

but 14th Street is open. Fifteenth Street is closed,

but 14th Street is open. More than 3/4ths of the voters

support the 1st Amendment. More than three-fourths of the

voterssupport the First Amendment.

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Now you tryNow you try We have 1,000,000 reasons

to be thankful. We have a million reasons

to be thankful. The ambulances took 7 people to the

hospital, and three needed surgery. The ambulances took seven people

to the hospital, and three needed surgery.

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Roman numeralsRoman numerals Individuals

William Hearst III Wars

World War I, World War II Popes & kings

Henry VIIIPope Paul XI

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Now you try!Now you try! King George 6 King George VI World War 1 ended in 1918, and

World War 2 ended in 1945. World War I ended in 1918, and

World War II ended in 1945.

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Now you try!Now you try! James the Second was ousted

from the British throne. James II was ousted

from the British throne. Pope John Paul, II, is in poor health. Pope John Paul II is in poor health.