Usage: Keeping the number of digits consistent?

[Steven Jong]

This is a good (if minute) subject. Let me point out the importance  
of formatting the MOST significant digits in numbers.

Most commonly, I see lists and tables formatted using default tabs,  
which left-align characters. This is fine for most things (most  
things being text), but not for numbers, because you get this effect:

1
10
100

Both Word and FrameMaker have several styles of tabs to choose from,  
and for numeric columns, you should use decimal tabs, which align  
numbers to the literal or presumed decimal point. Decimal tabs will  
align the numbers above correctly (but ironically, text e-mail  
probably won't and I won't try 8^)