Numbers numerals Lessons for copyeditors By Jeff South

Numbers & numerals Lessons for copyeditors By Jeff South VCU School of Mass Communications 1

In general: 4 Spell out whole numbers below 10. 4 Use numerals (figures) for 10 and above. 4 This applies to ordinal numbers, too: ðfirst, second, third, 10 th, 22 nd, 100 th. . . 2

Examples: 4 They had 10 dogs, six cats and 97 fish. 4 We saw 12 cities in four days. 4 That’s the third test this week. 4 She finished 15 th in the class. 3

Now you try! 4 I bought (9/nine) books. 4 I bought nine books. 4 She caught (24/twenty-four) catfish. 4 She caught 24 catfish. 4 On his (2 nd/second) try, he won the election. 4 On his second try, he won the election. 4

But there are exceptions 4 Addresses 4 No. 1. . . 4 Ages 4 Percentages 4 Aircraft 4 Speeds 4 Dates 4 Sports 4 Highways 4 Temperatures 4 Money 4 Times 4 And dimensions 5

Use numbers for: 4 House numbers in addresses ð 901 W. Main St. ð 5 Oakland Ave. ð 18 E. Broad St. 4 Ages ðSmith, 23, … ð… 3 -year-old Bobby … ð… 6 -month-old puppy 6

Use numbers for: 4 Aircraft, spacecraft ðB-1 bomber ðApollo 15 ðBoeing 747 4 Dates ðSept. 6 ðMay 12 ðDec. 25 7

Use numbers for: 4 Highway designations ðInterstate 95 ðU. S. Highway 250 ðRoute 1 A 4 Monetary units ð$7 ð 5 cents ð$412 billion 8

Use numbers for: 4 No. ðVirginia Tech is ranked No. 1. . . ðThe No. 2 team is. . . ðThe United States was No. 3. . . 4 Percentages ð 1 percent ð 45 percent ð 0. 4 percent 9

Use numbers for: 4 Speeds ð 5 mph ð 100 mph ð 50 knots 4 Sports ðThey lost, 3 -2. ðHe caught a 9 -yard pass. ð… 5 under par 10

Use numbers for: 4 Temperatures ð 5 degrees above zero ðin the 80 s ð 9 degrees below zero 4 Times ðat 6 a. m. ðafter 11: 20 p. m. ðBut: noon, midnight 11

Now you try! 4 They live at (9/Nine) Grace St. 4 They live at 9 Grace St. 4 She is (7/seven) years old. 4 She is 7 years old. 4 The (F-4/F-Four) crashed. 4 The F-4 crashed. 4 The meeting will be on May (6/Six/6 th). 4 The meeting will be on May 6. 12

Now you try! 4 Take U. S. (1/One). 4 Take U. S. 1. 4 It costs (10/ten) cents. 4 It costs 10 cents. 4 They are ranked No. (1/One). 4 They are ranked No. 1. 13

Now you try! 4 Less than (1/one) percent 4 Less than 1 percent 4 It was going (20/twenty) mph. 4 It was going 20 mph. 4 The Mets lost, (5 -4, five-four, five to four). 4 The Mets lost, 5 -4. 4 It was (8/eight) degrees. 4 It was 8 degrees. 14

Now you try! 4 At (8/eight) a. m. 4 At 8 a. m. 4 The record was minus (12/twelve) degrees, set at (3/three) a. m. on Jan. (4/4 th/Fourth). 4 The record was minus 12 degrees, set at 3 a. m. on Jan. 4. 15

Dimensions 4 Use figures and spell out inches, feet, yards, etc. 4 He is 5 feet 6 inches tall 4 The 6 -foot-3 -inch man … 4 The car is 12 feet long and 5 feet wide. 4 The 9 -by-12 rug 4 The storm left 4 inches of snow. 16

Ordinal numbers 4 Political designations ð 7 th Congressional District ð 3 rd Ward ð 12 th House District 4 Court system ð 4 th U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals ð 10 th District Court 17

Ordinal numbers 4 Military titles and organizations ðthe 5 th Battalion ðFor 2 nd Lt. Bill Turner ðthe 101 st Infantry 4 Street names ðFirst Street … Ninth Street ð 10 th Street, 11 th Street, 22 nd Street ð 9 Second Ave. , 440 45 th St. , 56 E. 21 st St. 18

Now you try! 4 She lives at seven twenty-ninth St. 4 She lives at 7 29 th St. 4 A candidate in the 7 th House District … 4 The Fifth U. S. District Court 4 The 5 th U. S. District Court 19

Now you try! 4 The U. S. 11 th Armored Cavalry 4 … to Second Lt. Emma Wyatt. 4 … to 2 nd Lt. Emma Wyatt. 4 The building at 100 North First Avenue 4 The building at 100 N. First Ave. 20

Write out numbers: 4 Beginning a sentence ðTwelve students were arrested. 4 Numbers under 10 (unless covered by a previous rule) ðShe bought seven books and two pens. 4 Fractions ðTwo-thirds, one-fourth, a fifth. . . 4 Casual numbers ðIt’s happened a million times. 21

Recast sentences 4 Don’t write: ðFifteen semester hours is the limit. 4 Instead, write: ðThe limit is 15 semester hours. 22

Now you try 4 They live on (9 th/Ninth) Street. 4 They live on Ninth Street. 4 The (1 st/First) Amendment 4 The First Amendment 4 I have (3/three) cats. 4 I have three cats. 23

Now you try 4 About (2/3 or two-thirds) of the students voted in the election. 4 About two-thirds of the students voted in the election. 4 He had (a dozen/12) reasons for missing class. 4 He had a dozen reasons for missing class. 24

Now you try 4 15 th Street is closed, but 14 th Street is open. 4 Fifteenth Street is closed, but 14 th Street is open. 4 More than 3/4 ths of the voters support the 1 st Amendment. 4 More than three-fourths of the voters support the First Amendment. 25

Now you try 4 We have 1, 000 reasons to be thankful. 4 We have a million reasons to be thankful. 4 The ambulances took 7 people to the hospital, and three needed surgery. 4 The ambulances took seven people to the hospital, and three needed surgery. 26

Roman numerals 4 Individuals ðWilliam Hearst III 4 Wars ðWorld War I, World War II 4 Popes & kings ðHenry VIII ðPope Paul XI 27

Now you try! 4 King George 6 4 King George VI 4 World War 1 ended in 1918, and World War 2 ended in 1945. 4 World War I ended in 1918, and World War II ended in 1945. 28

Now you try! 4 James the Second was ousted from the British throne. 4 James II was ousted from the British throne. 4 Pope John Paul, II, is in poor health. 4 Pope John Paul II is in poor health. 29