UTServicesCESUTLCTranslating & editing servicesUT English Style guideNumbersPercentages, units of measurements, fractions and ranges of numbers

Percentages, units of measurements, fractions and ranges of numbers

Writing Percentages

Always use figures and symbols for percentages, measurements and currency. 

Note, that in British English per cent is two words.  Use per cent where the number is also spelt out in words:

With figures, use the per cent sign (%) preceded by a hard space

Writing units of measurement

Always use figures with units of measurement that are denoted by symbols or abbreviations.

The converse does not hold. If the units of measurement are spelt out, the numbers do not also have to be spelt out but may be written with figures:

Writing units of measurements (tips for tricky words)

Write gram, kilogram      AVOID: gramme, kilogramme

However, use tonne       AVOID:  ton (‘ton’ refers to the non-metric measure).

Write metre for the unit of length, meter for measuring instruments.

Writing about fractions

Insert hyphens when a fraction is used as an adverb or adjective 

Do not insert hyphens when the fraction is used as a noun

Avoid combining figures and words:

When using figures for a fraction, use the fraction symbol where possible and close it up to any previous figure

Ranges of numbers

When a range is written out, repeat symbols and multiples (ie. thousand, million, etc.):

Abbreviated form of a range

When a range is indicated by a hyphen, do not repeat the symbol or multiple if they do not change and close up the hyphen between the figures:

If the symbol or multiple changes, however, leave a blank space on either side of the hyphen:

References

Language Boutique 'Writing Numbers – Periods or Commas?' Retrieved from https://language-boutique.com/lost-in-translation-full-reader/writing-numbers-points-or-commas.html