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Re: Mixing numbers and words in the same sentence

Subject: Re: Mixing numbers and words in the same sentence
From: Marc Santacroce <epubs -at- ricochet -dot- net>
To: John Posada <jposada01 -at- yahoo -dot- com>, "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1999 14:46:21 -0800

My reference is 'Handbook of Technical Writing', 3rd edition by Charles T. Brusaw, Gerald J. Alred, Walter E. Oliu.

When several numbers appear in the same sentence or paragraph, they should be expressed alike, regardless of other rules and guidelines.

Example: The company owned 150 trucks, employed 271 people, and rented 7 warehouses.




John Posada wrote:



"Note: You can change the default display from 4
images to 9 or 16 images by selecting "Image Display
Options" from the menu bar."

One of the developers is wearing his tech writer hat
and is mumbling that the numbers 4 and 9 should be
written as words:

"Note: You can change the default display from four
images to nine or 16 images by selecting "Image
Display Options" from the menu bar."

I want to tell him to go back to his little cubicle
and leave me alone, but before I do, I want your
opinion.

BTW...I'm aware of the "rule" that words under 10
should be written out, but I cannot justify in my
mind, mixing convention in the same sentence and my
CMS in my other office.



-
Marc A. Santacroce

Senior Technical Writer/President
ePubs, Inc.

epubs -at- ricochet -dot- net


"Everything has a fifty percent probability; either it's going to happen, or it's not."


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