Numeral Usage
Use numerals with units of time or measure, and insert а space between the number and the unit, except before °, °C, °F, ˚API, K, %, and after a currency code With items other than units of time or measure, use words for numbers less than 11; use numerals for 11 and above, unless the number is the first word of а sentence. three flasks tenfold but 30 flasks 20-fold Numbers applicable to the same category should be treated alike within the same context. If you must use figures for some of the numbers in а sentence, use figures for all the numbers in that category. Of the samples tested, 13 were positive, 7 were negative, and 2 showed an inconclusive result. Do not begin а sentence with а numeral. Recast the sentence; otherwise, spell out the number and the unit of measure if there is one. Do not repeat a spelled-out number in numerals, which is a legal convention. Twenty-two grams of sample was dissolved in 20 ml of acid. Numerals are not spelled out when used in а mathematical sense. The incidence of blowouts increased by а factor of 4. Use numerals with а.т. and р.т. Use а comma in numbers 10,000 and higher, i.e. 30,000; 71,251,022; but9999; 4000. For very large numbers in narrative text, use а combination of numerals and words: 5 billion cubic meters (or 5 bln.m³), 4.5 million years (or 4.5 mln.a). In technical texts, especially with SI units, give preference to exponential notation: 5∙109 m³, 4.5∙106 a. Do not blend metric units and customary units. Use numerals for decades, and form their plurals by adding an s (without an apostrophe and hyphen). Use the full form of the number, not а contraction (unless colloquial style is required). Incorrect Correct When numerals are used as names rather than for enumeration, form their plurals by adding an apostrophe and s to avoid confusion with mathematical expressions. many 6's were registered. Use decimals rather than fractions with units of time or measure, except when doing so would imply an unwarranted accuracy. 3.5 h not 3½ h In nontechnical context, spell out and hyphenate fractions. one-quarter of the production Spell out the ordinals first through tenth; use numerals for 11th and succeeding ordinals. Never add ordinal endings to roman numerals. Do not hyphenate numerals and ordinal endings. Note: An ordinal may not be spelled out if it is part of an accepted formulation of а name (е.g., the title of а conference). Also, in references, ordinals are not spelled out when they refer to an edition of the book. Do not add ordinal endings to numbers in dates. When two numbered items are cited in narrative, use and. However, use а comma within brackets or parentheses when two references are cited. Figs. 1 and 2 but Lewis [12, 13] found that.... It can be seen in (1) and (2) that.... not It can be seen in (1, 2) that.... Use an en dash with three or more numbered items in а series, both in narrative and in parentheses. Tables 2–4 show that.... Past results (27–31) indicate that.... Use а period, not а comma, for decimals. Use an initial zero before the decimal. Incorrect 0,01. 01 Correсt 0. 01 When numbers are on а line, the comma is followed by а space; when numbers are in superscripts or subscripts, the comma is not followed by а space. 14, 27, 115, and 146 but 51,6
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