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Subject:Re: Number one in text From:Susan W. Gallagher <sgallagher5 -at- cox -dot- net> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Wed, 2 Nov 2005 17:06:13 -0500
Not so obvious - the answer is, "it depends!" <g>
If you're using the AP Style Guide, prized by journalists
and marcomm writers, the first example is correct, as AP
advises to spell out all numbers under ten and doesn't
mind mixing numbers and words in a single sentence.
If you're using the Chicago Manual of Style, which is more
technically targetted than AP, the second example is more
correct, but not ideal. Chicago advises using words for
numbers one through one hundred, but gives numerous exceptions,
including a nod to using the "spell out only singal digits"
rule, using numerals for exact quantities or measurements,
and not mixing words and numerals in the same sentence.
My preference would be for example 2, but neither is wrong.
I'll bet you were looking for a definitive answer. Sorry.
-Sue Gallagher
>
> From: bhenderson -at- ILSmart -dot- com
> This may be obvious to some, but because "31" is also used in the same
> sentence, I'm stumped, and I did look for an answer. What is the correct
> way to render the number one in this sentence?
>
> Enter a number greater than one and less than 31.
> Enter a number greater than 1 and less than 31.
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