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Subject:Re: Usage Question - units in a numerical range From:"Dick Margulis " <margulis -at- mail -dot- fiam -dot- net> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 25 Apr 2003 13:44:36 -0400
Keri,
I use 3-5 ft, 3-5 m, where the "-" is an en dash, not a hyphen, and it is set without spaces (not 3 - 5, in other words.
I would use ft rather than ' unless you are seriously cramped for space or you are dealing with carpenters. For one thing it is more consistent (you are using an abbreviation, not a symbol, for meters; you should do the same for feet). For another, it is less ambiguous (' has other meanings). For another, it is easier to see after the page has been photocopied and then faxed.
In general, you should set a space between the last number in the range and the unit. There are exceptions, but not for feet and meters.
HTH,
Dick
---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: Keri Morgret <morgret -at- stanfordalumni -dot- org> wrote:
>
>I'm writing a table where I am indicating the range is 15-20 feet, and am
>using ' for feet, and also including the rough metric range of 3-5 meters
>
>Do I write 15'-20'? or 15-20'?
>3m-5m or 3-5m or 3-5 m?
>
>I'm thinking that I should put the units by both numbers, but can't find
>anything to help clarify in my library.
>
>
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