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Subject:Re: Mixing numbers and words in the same sentence From:Jo Francis Byrd <jbyrd -at- byrdwrites -dot- com> To:techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com Date:Tue, 30 Nov 1999 16:55:18 -0600
I don't have any of my trusty reference books here on client site, but I THINK in situations with multiple numbers, not
all of them under ten (or 10....I tend to write "ten" just because it's short.....), your preference is correct. Given
the circumstance, I'd use the numbers for all three.
Jo Byrd
John Posada wrote:
> Hi, guys...I'm working on a help system and I've written one of the lines of instruction as follows:
>
> "Note: You can change the default display from 4 images to 9 or 16 images by selecting "Image Display
> Options" from the menu bar."
>
> One of the developers is wearing his tech writer hat and is mumbling that the numbers 4 and 9 should be
> written as words:
>
> "Note: You can change the default display from four images to nine or 16 images by selecting "Image
> Display Options" from the menu bar."
>
> I want to tell him to go back to his little cubicle and leave me alone, but before I do, I want your
> opinion.
>
> BTW...I'm aware of the "rule" that words under 10 should be written out, but I cannot justify in my
> mind, mixing convention in the same sentence and my CMS in my other office.