Re: Mathematical and Scientific Standards

["Pro TechWriter" <pro -dot- techwriter -at- gmail -dot- com>]

My first question would be, in what context are you describing a million? If
it is in a table, there is a mathematical expression you could use, but if
it is in text (except for pure mathmetical text or some scientific papers),
you should spell it out, at least on first use, not abbreviate it (depending
on what it is).

For example:

"200 parts per million (ppm)"

But for money, either:
$1,000,000.00 (or one million dollars)

In "Names for Large Numbers," (http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/large.html)
Russ Rowlett states on the Metric Prefixes page (
http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/prefixes.html), this terms for million
(European metric listed first with the American version to the right):

 mega- (M-)

106

1 million
<http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/prefixes.html>

But again it depends on what you are describing: "...one million ohms is a
megaohm.."
Anyway, check out Rowlett's site. It's pretty interesting reading.

(This was fun. Needed a break while compiling RoboHelp!)

PT
** Who Was a Scientific Editor for Several Years **



On 11/21/06, Dori Green <dgreen -at- associatedbrands -dot- com> wrote: