business english 2e by mary chapter 14

 Writing Numbers in Word or Figure Form Numbers That Begin Sentences  Placing Commas in Numbers  Hyphenating Numbers...  Writing Numbers in Word or Figure Form The van held nine pas

MARY ELLEN GUFFEY AND CAROLYN M SEEFER

14

Numbers

L E A R N I N G O U T C O M E S Level 1

▶ Correctly choose between figure and word forms

to express general numbers, numbers beginning sentences, and numbers that require hyphens and commas.

▶ Express money, dates, clock time, addresses,

telephone numbers, and company and product names appropriately.

 Writing Numbers in Word or Figure Form

 Numbers That Begin Sentences

 Placing Commas in Numbers

 Hyphenating Numbers

 Generally write the numbers one through ten as words Write

numbers above ten as figures.

 Note: Many exceptions to this rule exist.

 Writing Numbers in Word or Figure Form

The van held nine passengers in three seats.

Professor Andrews has 47 students in two classes.

 Write numbers that begin sentences as words.

 If a number involves more than two words, rewrite the sentence so

that the number no longer falls at the beginning and can be written

as a figure.

Thirty-eight states have ratified the amendment.

A total of 116 delegates attended the opening sessions (NOT: One

 When expressing numbers in figure form, separate groups of three

digits with commas to improve clarity.

 This rule does not apply when writing numbers such as years,

house numbers, telephone numbers, zip codes, account numbers, and page numbers

 Placing Commas in Numbers

Joe Bowman’s salary in 2016 was $78,000.

Hyphenate compound numbers from 21 through 99 when they

are written in word form.

Fifty-seven people applied for the customer service position with

our firm.

Thirty-three stocks increased

for every one that decreased

in today’s trading.

Basic Guidelines for Expressing Numbers

 If a sum is a whole dollar amount, omit the decimal and zeros,

even if the amount appears with fractional dollar amounts.

 Always include commas in monetary figures $1,000 or greater.

 Use the dollar sign ($) instead of the word dollars, and do not

add a space between the currency symbol and the figure.

 If they are part of related sums greater than $1, use a dollar sign and

a decimal instead of the word cents and do not space between the

dollar sign and the decimal point.

Our letterhead stationery costs 4 cents a sheet.

The separate amounts left in the tip jar were $1.19, $.56, $1, and

 When amounts of money from different countries are used in

the same sentence, table, or list, place the appropriate currency abbreviation or symbol before the numerical amount

 Money

The US$8,000 item will cost €7,040 in most countries in

Europe (U.S dollars and European Union euros)

as cardinal figures (1, 2, 3, etc.).

 Write numbers that stand alone or appear before the name of

a month as ordinal figures (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.)

Cinco de Mayo is celebrated

on May 5.

 Use figures when clock time is expressed with a.m., p.m., noon, or

midnight.

 Omit the colon and zeros with even clock hours (those without

minutes), even if they appear with times that contain hours and minutes.

 Even clock hours can be used with the word o’clock When using

this format, use either figures or words.

 Use figures with international time (24-hour clock).

 Clock Time

I believe he called you at three (or 3 ) o’clock.

On Friday the Louvre in Paris is open from 09:00 until 21:45.

 Except for the number One, express house numbers in figure

form.

 Also write apartment numbers, suite numbers, box numbers,

and route numbers in figure form.

 Do not use commas to separate digits.

 Addresses

1672 Macomber Street

words (First, Second, Third).

 In street names involving numbers greater than ten, write the

numeral portion in ordinal figure form (11th, 22nd, 33rd,

41st).

114 Fifth Avenue

 Express telephone numbers with figures.

 Place the area code in parentheses before the telephone

number Include a space after the closing parenthesis.

 As an alternate form, you may use hyphens or periods.

 When you include an extension, separate it from the phone

number with a comma.

 Telephone Numbers

Please call me at (706) 663-0785 if you have comments.

You can contact me at 404-394-1228, Ext 295, after 10 a.m Our toll-free number, 1.800.937.5594, is available 24 hours a

day.

 Some company and product names contain numbers Always

write these names using the organization’s preferred style.

 Company and Product Names

L-3 Communications Heinz 57 Sauce

19 Entertainment Six Flags

1 The committee was made up of 1 chair and

TRY YOUR SKILL

Make any necessary

3 Our next sales meeting will take place on

TRY YOUR SKILL

4 All employees must be at work by 8:00 A.M.

Make any necessary

5 The court is located at Two Broadway Lane.

Make any necessary

TRY YOUR SKILL

7 I need another 25¢ for the vending

TRY YOUR SKILL

Make any necessary

9 21 employees called in sick this past Friday.

Make any necessary

corrections to number

expression.

Number Beginning a Sentence

Twenty-one employees called in sick

this past Friday.

TRY YOUR SKILL

10 Please call 800 985 1650 to place your

▶ Use the correct form in writing related numbers,

consecutive numbers, periods of time, ages, anniversaries, and round numbers.

▶ Use the correct form in expressing numbers used

with words, abbreviations, and symbols.

Special Guidelines for Expressing Numbers

 Related numbers are those used similarly in the same

sentence.

 Express related numbers as the largest number is expressed

(e.g., if the largest number is greater than ten, all the numbers

should be expressed as figures).

 Write unrelated numbers within the same sentence as words

or figures according to the general guideline.

 Related Numbers Examples

That department has two clerks, eight administrative assistants, and one manager.

Of the 24 pieces of office equipment in our department, 2 copiers and 9 computers are still under warranty.

Two proposals covered 24 employees working in three branch

offices (Unrelated)

 Consecutive numbers occur when two numbers appear one

after the other, both modifying the same noun.

 Express the first number in words and the second in figures.

 If the first number cannot be expressed in one or two words,

place it in figures also Do not use commas to separate the figures.

 Consecutive Numbers Examples

The builder has only four 3-bedroom homes left for sale in the

new subdivision

We received fifty 18-page promotional booklets.

We need 155 50-cent stamps to complete the mailing.

months, and years) using the general rule (i.e., write numbers ten and below in word form, and write numbers above ten in figure form).

In the past five years, taxes have doubled.

The business has been operating for 23 years.

 Use figures to achieve special emphasis in expressing business

concepts such as discount rates, interest rates, contracts,

warranty periods, credit terms, loan periods, banking terms, and payment terms.

 Periods of Time

We gave that company a 2-month credit extension.

The length of the loan is 60 days.

words in word form.

 Write ages and anniversaries that require more than two words as

figures.

At the age of thirty-four, Jeffrey Selnig was named CEO.

Reduced prices marked the firm’s twenty-fifth anniversary.

The company is 125 years old.

 Use figures when an age:

(a) appears immediately after a person’s name (b) is expressed in exact years, months, and sometimes days OR

(c) is used in a legal or technical sense

 Ages and Anniversaries

Lori Simmons, 26, was promoted to manager two years ago.

A new contract was finally signed after 2 years and 10 months of

negotiations.

Round numbers are approximations You may express them in

word or figure form, although figure form is shorter and easier

to comprehend.

Nearly 100 (or one hundred)

employees invested in the company profit-sharing plan.

Approximately 75 (or seventy-five) citizens attended the city

 Express round numbers in the millions, billions, and trillions with

a combination of figures and words.

 Round Numbers

About 2 million retail firms and 300,000 wholesale firms

operate in the United States.

That firm’s assets are

valued at $3.4 billion.

 Express numbers used with words, abbreviations, and symbols

as figures.

Please view Table 3 on page 10.

You can reach me at Extension 435.

Vehicle No 23 is still being repaired.

TRY YOUR SKILL

2 During 2 months of the power shortage,

300,000 customers lost energy.

Make any necessary

corrections to number

expression.

Unrelated Numbers

During two months of the power

shortage, 300,000 customers lost energy.

TRY YOUR SKILL

Make any necessary

4 The term of the loan is forty-five days.

Make any necessary

corrections to number

expression.

Period of Time/Business Concept

The term of the loan is 45 days.

TRY YOUR SKILL

three years and 8 months.

Make any necessary

6 Your flight will leave from gate twenty-four.

Make any necessary

corrections to number

expression.

Number Used With a Word

Your flight will leave from Gate 24.

TRY YOUR SKILL

8 Suhas Gopinath, seventeen, is the

youngest CEO in the world.

Make any necessary

TRY YOUR SKILL

multinational company, when he was only

10 Please credit account no 84939 for

$254.00.

Make any necessary

corrections to number

expression.

Number With Words/Money

Please credit Account No 84939 for

$254.

L E A R N I N G O U T C O M E S Level 3

▶ Express correctly weights, measurements,

fractions, percentages, and decimals.

▶ Use the correct form in expressing grades,

scores, voting results, and ordinals.

 Weights and Measurements

 Express weights and measurements, including temperatures, as

figures.

 Weights and Measurements

The Persian rug measures 9 x 12 feet.

We need 2 quarts of oil and 15 gallons of gasoline.

The lowest temperature ever recorded was minus 128.6 degrees

Fahrenheit in 1983 at a Russian station in Antarctica.

Did you order the 16- or 20-pound paper?

Simple fractions are fractions in which both the numerator

and denominator are whole numbers.

 Use word form if the simple fraction can be expressed in two

words; if not, use figure form or a combination.

 If a fraction functions as a noun, no hyphen is used If it

functions as an adjective, a hyphen separates its parts.

 Simple Fractions Examples

Nearly two thirds of the committee members were present for

the vote (Noun—no hyphen)

Getty purchased a four-fifths interest in Amco (Adjective—

hyphenate) The machinery must be calibrated to

1 millionth of a second.

His airbag inflated 3/200

of a second after the crash.

Always express mixed fractions, which are whole numbers

combined with fractions, with figures.

His scientific slides measure 2¼ by 2¼ inches.

The chocolate chip cookie

recipe calls for 2½ cups

of sugar.

 Express percentages in sentences with figures followed by the

 Express decimals with figures.

 If a decimal does not contain a whole number before the

decimal point or does not begin with a zero, a zero should be placed before the decimal.

The elevator completed its decent in 8.7 seconds.

The runner won the race by 0.6 second.

 Always use figures to express academic grades, scores on tests

or of sporting events, and voting results.

 Grades, Scores, and Voting Results

Gerald scored 99 on his final exam, giving him a final average

of 91.5 percent in his accounting class.

The lowest NBA score occurred in 1955 when Boston beat

Milwaukee 65 to 57.

An 8-to-11 vote defeated the ballot measure.

sequence Generally express ordinal numbers in word form

(first, second, third).

The book was printed in the fifteenth century.

Our bank ranks tenth in terms of total assets.

Pete Sessions represents the Thirty-second Congressional

District in Texas.

I called your office on the 5th and the 21st to confirm.

On the 9th of June, we signed the contract.

The retail outlet is located on Eighth Avenue; the warehouse is located on 43rd Street.

Special recognition was given to the 1,000th visitor.

Use Words Use Figures

• Numbers ten and under

• Numbers at beginnings of sentences

1 A retail store on 7th Avenue had sales of

over one million dollars.

Make any necessary

TRY YOUR SKILL

employees in two branches.

Make any necessary

corrections to number

expression.

Unrelated Numbers/General Rule

We ordered eight new laptops for 15

employees in two branches.

3 Your sixty-day loan carries an interest rate

of nine percent and must be repaid by June thirtieth.

Make any necessary

corrections to number

expression.

Your 60-day loan carries an interest rate

of 9 percent and must be repaid by June

30.

TRY YOUR SKILL

4 The employees voted nineteen to five to accept a new contract.

Make any necessary

5 We need 45 70-cent stamps to send the

last fifty packets.

Make any necessary

corrections to number

expression.

Consecutive Numbers/General Rule

We need forty-five 70-cent stamps to send the last 50 packets.

TRY YOUR SKILL

Make any necessary

7 We need a 2/3 vote to pass the bond issue.

Make any necessary

TRY YOUR SKILL

Make any necessary

9 Almost 77% of television viewers pay more

attention to ads during the Super Bowl than they usually do.

Make any necessary

corrections to number

expression.

Almost 77 percent of television viewers

pay more attention to ads during the Super Bowl than they usually do.

TRY YOUR SKILL

terms of world population.

Make any necessary

Now let’s do something FUN with numbers!

Pick a number from

Square the number (multiply

the number by itself).

Add the digits until one digit

remains

(for example, 34 = 3 + 4 = 7).

If the number is less than

5, add five Otherwise, subtract four.

Multiply the number by 2 Subtract 6 from

the number.

Map the number to a letter

in the alphabet (Use the key

1=A, 2=B, etc.)

The Mysterious Number Trick

Pick a name of a country that begins with that

letter.

Take the second letter in the country name and think of a mammal that begins with that

letter.

Think of the color of that

mammal.

You picked a gray elephant from

Denmark!

The Mysterious Number Trick

and never to degrade it.”

– Mark Twain, American author/humorist (1835-1910)