Acceptable uses of numerals

Generally, numerals are acceptable in the following uses. Treatment varies by discipline, however, so always check with your instructor or the style guide for the discipline in which you are writing.

Dates

July 4, 1776, 56 BCE, 30 CE

Addresses

77 Latches Lane, 519 West 42nd Street

Percentages

55 percent (or 55%)

Fractions

1/2

Decimals

0.047

Scores

7 to 3, 21-18

Statistics

average age 37, average weight 180

Surveys

4 out of 5

Exact amounts of money

$105.37, $106,000

Divisions of books

volume 3, chapter 4, page 189

Divisions of plays

act 3; scene 3 (or act III, scene iii)

Identification numbers

serial number 10988675

Time of day

4:00 p.m., 1:30 a.m.

Style note: Numbers in technical, scientific, and business writing

Exercise: Numbers

Related topic:

Abbreviations for scientific terms