Numerals
277
12.19.
Numbers appearing as part of proper names, used in a hypothetical or inexact sense, or mentioned in connection with serious and dignified subjects such as Executive orders, legal proclamations, and in formal writing are spelled out.
- Three Rivers, PA, Fifteenmile Creek, etc.
- three score years and ten
- Ten Commandments
- the Thirteen Original States
- Air Force One (Presidential plane)
- in the year two thousand eight
- the One Hundred Tenth Congress
- back to square one
- millions for defense but not one cent for tribute
- behind the eight ball
- our policy since day one
12.20.
If spelled out, whole numbers should be set in the following form:
- two thousand twenty
- one thousand eight hundred fifty
- one hundred fifty-two thousand three hundred five
- eighteen hundred fifty (serial number)
When spelled out, any number containing a fraction or piece of a whole should use the word "and" when stating the fraction or piece:
- sixty-two dollars and four cents
- ninety-nine and three-tenths degrees
- thirty-three and seventy-five one-hundredths shares
12.21.
Numbers of less than 100 preceding a compound modifier containing a figure are spelled out.
- two ¾-inch boards
- twelve 6-inch guns
- two 5-percent discounts
- but
- 120 8-inch boards
- three four-room houses
12.22.
Indefinite expressions are spelled out.
- the seventies; the early seventies; but the early 1870s or 1970s
- in his eighties, not his '80's nor 80's
- between two and three hundred horses (better between 200 and 300 horses)
- twelvefold; thirteenfold; fortyfold; hundredfold; twentyfold to thirtyfold
- midthirties (age, years, money)
- a thousand and one reasons
- but
- 1 to 3 million
- mid-1971; mid-1970s
- 40-odd people; nine-odd people
- 40-plus people
- 100-odd people
- 3½-fold; 250-fold; 2.5-fold; 41-fold
