Numbers and Figures

Numerals and text

• Spell out numbers one through nine in text.
• When a number is the first word in a sentence, you may spell it out or reword the sentence. (Exception: Years are written as numerals at the start of sentences (e.g., 1973 was a great year.)
• Numbers below 100 should be hyphenated when they consist of two words (e.g., fifty-three).
•  When two or more numbers apply to the same category in a paragraph or a series of paragraphs, don’t use figures for some and spell out others.  Be consistent and use all figures (e.g., There are 25 graduate students in the philosophy department, 9 in the music department, and 8 in the comparative literature department, making a total of 42 students.)
•  Place a comma after digits signifying thousands, except when reference is made to temperature (e.g., 1,160 students, or 2200 degrees).
• No zero before a decimal point.

• For very large sums of money, use figures with a dollar sign, and spell out million or billion (e.g., $1.8 million; between $1 and $2 billion).
• When multiple donations are noted, the noun should be plural (e.g., $4 million in donations were given.).
• When a donation is given in the form of a single grant, the noun should be singular (e.g., A $4 million grant was given.).

• Figures are preferred when noting a person’s stature; hyphenate when used as an adjective (e.g., John is 6’2”, not John is six-foot-two-inches.).
• Figures are preferred when noting a person’s weight; hyphenate when used as an adjective (e.g., The baby weighed 9 pounds, 7 ounces. She had a 9-pound, 7-ounce baby.).

• In general, all percentages should be shown as figures (e.g., 3 percent, 100 percent).
• For percentages less than 1 percent, precede the decimal with a zero (e.g., The cost of living rose 0.6 percent.).

• Use fewer for items that can be counted (e.g., There are fewer calories in celery than in a donut.).
• Use less for quantity that is measured (e.g., There is less fat in celery than in a donut.).