19 Numbers and Percentages

Spell out numbers for generally accepted usage, such as idiomatic expressions. One frequently appears in running text without referring to a quantity per se and may appear awkward if expressed as a numeral. When one may be replaced by a or a single without changing the meaning, the word one rather than the numeral is usually appropriate. Other numbers, most often zero, two, and large rounded numbers, also may be written as words in circumstances in which use of the numeral would place an unintended emphasis on a precise quantity or would be confusing.Any one of the 12 individuals might ...Less

Use words for any number that begins a sentence, title, subtitle, or heading. However, it may be better to reword the sentence so that it does not begin with a number.Three hundred twenty-eight men and 126 women were included in the study. Better: The study population comprised 328 men and 126 women.  Participants: Seventy-two thousand three hundred thirty-seven postmenopausal women aged 34 to 77 years. Better: Participants: A total of 72 337 postmenopausal women aged 34 to 77 years.  Three patients were identified; 2 had hypertension and 1 had diabetes.Numerals may be used in sentences that begin with a specific ...Less

Common fractions are expressed with hyphenated words, whether the fraction is used as an adjective or a noun. Mixed fractions are typically expressed in numerals (see , Use of Numerals, Mixed Fractions).Of those attending, nearly three-fourths were members of the association. There was a half-second delay before the concert hall was illuminated. We require a two-thirds majority for consensus.In some cases, fractions can be expressed with an indefinite article preceding the denominator. Such constructions do not use the hyphen.The test concluded after half an hour.A quarter may be used in place of one-fourth.A quarter of the consensus panel dissented. ...Less

The word one should be spelled out when used as a pronoun or noun.The investigators compared a new laboratory method with the standard one. These differences may be concealed if one looks only at the total group. William James uses the idea of the one and the many as the great challenge of the philosophical mind. ...Less

Ordinal numbers generally express order or rank, rather than a precise quantity. Because they usually address nontechnical aspects of the objects they modify, ordinals are often found in literary writing. The numerical expression of commonly used ordinals (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc) may appear jarring and interrupt the flow of the text. For this reason the ordinals first through ninth are spelled out.The third patient was not available for reevaluation. It has become second nature.The numeric form of ordinals greater than ninth is well established in literary texts (10th, 11th, and so on) except at the beginning of a sentence, ...Less

Use words to express numbers that occur at the beginning of a sentence, title, subtitle, or heading; for common fractions; for accepted usage and numbers used as pronouns; for ordinals first through ninth; and when part of a published quote or title in which the number is spelled out. When spelling out numerals, hyphenate twenty-one through ninety-nine when these numbers occur alone or as part of a larger number. When numbers greater than 100 are spelled out, do not use commas or and (eg, one hundred thirty-two).Use words for any number that begins a sentence, title, subtitle, or heading. However, ...Less