Questions relating to the use of numbers or numerals in speaking or writing English.
-1
votes
2answers
58 views
Do I capitalize or write out 'first' if I write: “Her birthday was May First.”?
I'm writing a story in which a character's birthday (May 1st) is significant. A characters notes in conversation that, "Her birthday is May first." Should I write out 'first' or refer to it as '1st'? ...
0
votes
1answer
129 views
Why eleven is not called onety one [duplicate]
I want to know why eleven is not called "onety one"? Since eleven comes after ten, why is not "onety one"? and why ten is not called onety ?
2
votes
2answers
63 views
Using “and” with numbers [duplicate]
I'm a computer programmer and I'm working about this problem. I must say that I'm not very familiar with British English and I'd like to know when the word and is used in the numbers. The perfect ...
1
vote
0answers
16 views
Why do different languages have different amounts of unique words for numbers between 10 and 20? [migrated]
I've read a similar question here which mainly dealt with why English only has eleven and twelve as unique words with some interesting ideas. But my question is why do different languages have ...
2
votes
1answer
40 views
Number of noun modified by coordinated PP: “the [X-sg] of [Y] and [Z] is”, or “the [X-pl] of [Y] and [Z] are”?
I've tried searching Google and StackExchange for this one, but I find it difficult to state the problem generally and therefore have had no luck so far; apologies if the answer is already out there ...
3
votes
1answer
88 views
After 13 years in the 21st century, what conclusion have we come to regarding the short forms of the names of the years?
Do you remember the other Year 2000 problem, regarding the nicknames of the years? If 1999 was "ninety-nine," then what would we call 2001? At the time, answers such as "one", "oh-one", "two-oh-one" ...
2
votes
4answers
130 views
Would it be correct to say that negative five is less than positive two? [closed]
I often have trouble speaking good English when negative numbers are involved. Would it be correct to say that negative five is less than positive two? If not, what expression is most appropriate?
...
4
votes
5answers
159 views
“Ten times fewer the number,” versus “one-tenth the number”?
Lately I've been hearing and reading statistics that are communicated in wording that, frankly, confuses me. Forgive me for not citing specific instances, but I can give a hypothetical statistic that ...
2
votes
1answer
43 views
Hyphen in physical quantities before nouns?
In cases where a physical quantity (consisting of a number and a unit) is used like an adjective to describe a property of an object, should it be written with or without a hyphen between the number ...
-2
votes
1answer
86 views
Numeric abbreviations in business quotes [closed]
When writing a quote for an order for products, would you write
25K or 25M to refer to 25,000 parts or pounds or units?
1
vote
1answer
168 views
How to write out numbers in compliance with British usage?
This question regards the numbers from 1 to 999. We can ignore commas, hyphens, and spaces. What I'm interested in is when and where to use the word "and".
There are a few interesting cases:
1) 20 ...
0
votes
1answer
106 views
Reading dollar amounts
I have a question regarding reading dollar amounts. At this store, I saw some scrunchies on sale for $5 per dozen.
Should I say,
These scrunchies is a five dollar per dozen item.
or is this ...
0
votes
2answers
122 views
Is there a term to denote writing numbers in words rather than as digits?
Often when writing we would like numbers to be written out fully e.g. thirty rather than in digits e.g. 30. Is there a name for this kind of representation?
0
votes
1answer
182 views
English word for the comma between three digits
The common number formatting convention uses a decimal point between the integer part and the fraction, and a comma between every three digits of the number:
1000000 -> 1,000,000
12345 + 1/5 ...
13
votes
3answers
196 views
Is there a word like cardinal or ordinal but for the “single, double, triple” series?
The words one, two, three, and so on are the cardinal numbers.
Similarly, first, second, third, and so on are the
ordinal numbers.
Is there a similar term for the words single, double, triple, ...
3
votes
2answers
98 views
Including units of a measure in a range
When specifying a range of values that have a unit of measure associated with them, what is the best practice for where to include the unit of measure?
1lb - 20lb
Or
1 - 20lb
And how ...
0
votes
0answers
19 views
What is the meaning of the word “Extension” in an USA Phone Number [duplicate]
I found a nice listing in the answer to "Standard format for phone numbers" however it never uses the term Extension verbatim.
The question "What do you call the main telephone number?" does describe ...
2
votes
1answer
150 views
Is there a word for numbers and letters, but not punctuation, etc?
Is there a word that would refer to a number or a letter, but not any other character (like a comma or an exclamation mark)?
1
vote
0answers
55 views
(n+1)st or (n+1)th? [duplicate]
When referring to object number n+1, is it the (n+1)st or (n+1)th object?
Of course, object number 1 would be referred to as the 1st, but since I would say n plus one, adding an -st would make this ...
-1
votes
2answers
94 views
Reading dollar amounts after “priced at” [duplicate]
I'd like to know the correct way to read dollar amounts after the expression "priced at."
If I want to read the sentence
"This app is priced at $3.99."
would it typically be read as
...
1
vote
3answers
58 views
Reading discount rates
How I should read discount rates like the following:
a $3.50 discount
I'm not sure if I should say
"a three-fifty dollar discount,"
"a three dollar and fifty cent discount,"
or ...
4
votes
2answers
148 views
1st hour, 2nd hour, 3rd hour… But how to say “zero”-th hour?
E.g. in School we have 5-7 or 8 hours every day (Math, History, Biology, Chemistry, English etc.).
The first hour starts at 8:00 A.M.
But every Thursday we have an hour that stars at 7:10 A.M.
In ...
3
votes
1answer
81 views
Should thin spaces be used between numerals and units
After starting to use the siunitx package for typesetting units (and the numerals before the units) in LaTeX, I noticed that it typesets a single space between a numeral and a unit (a space that is ...
0
votes
3answers
123 views
many hours is? or are?
Time, distance, weight are treated as singular, like "3 hours is too long."
Then, in this instance, "How many hours of sleep is/are needed to keep fit?" Is "is" correct?
2
votes
2answers
111 views
The battery, etc., is (are?) included.
When “etc.” is used with a singular subject, such as in the following sentence, should the verb be singular or plural?
The battery, etc., is included.
0
votes
1answer
517 views
Difference between “zeros” and “zeroes” [duplicate]
Are there any differences between “zeros” and “zeroes”? Is any of them more correct, more often used, more modern? Are there differences e.g. between British English and American English in the usage ...
5
votes
1answer
70 views
When Things Used To be “Worth 'X' Millions”
I was reading Raymond Chandler's Farewell, My Lovely, and a character described a rich man as
"Worth 20 millions".
At least in AmE, we don't use "millions" in the plural anymore in this ...
6
votes
3answers
383 views
“Three quarters” vs. “three fourths”
To express a fraction of 3 out of 4, how and when would you use three quarters, and when would you use three fourths?
To me, three quarters is what I would have used all the time — but I'm not a ...
2
votes
2answers
186 views
Should I capitalize “Billion” in a bulleted list?
I have list of values in a report used to highlight demographic information. For dollar values, should I capitalize the word "Billion", or leave it lower case?
Here's a sample:
Appraised Value: ...
1
vote
2answers
218 views
Is there a special word for amounts between 11 and 20?
Translation is often tricky. I'm stuck with the Polish word kilkanaście, which literally means few-teen. It is used to describe an amount more than ten, but less than 20 (or including 20, it's hard to ...
11
votes
5answers
944 views
Is there a word for numbers between 10 and 99?
I'd like to find such a word instead of saying "greater than 10 but less than 100".
-2
votes
1answer
60 views
“More” vs. “more than” [closed]
What is the difference between the following statements?
John uses 15 000 matchsticks to make model boat A. He uses 2300 more to make model boat B.
John uses 15 000 matchsticks ...
-1
votes
1answer
107 views
How paragraph numbers are read
I'd be glad if someone could tell me how numbers like "2.3.4.5.6" are read (pronounced)? "Two dot three dot four..." or "two three four" or maybe "two point three point four"?
0
votes
0answers
43 views
How to group digits in serial numbers [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Transcribing long repeating phone numbers
I find native speakers frequently group digits when reading out serial numbers, postcodes, phone numbers, PIN "numbers", or ...
3
votes
3answers
479 views
how to pronounce “twenty” correctly?
Well, I usually say "twenny" instead of "twenty" (not "twendy" even). I recently noticed that I never heard the same from any native english speakers during any talks I ever had with them.
Recently I ...
3
votes
5answers
161 views
What is the term for groups of numerals within a large number?
I am writing software in which I would like to be able to return the groups of numerals within a large number. For example, given a number 123,456,789, my software would return 123 then 456 then 789.
...
2
votes
1answer
280 views
Why do we use Roman numerals for some page numbers but Arabic ones for others?
Why is it that certain pages in English-language books are numbered using Roman numerals, but other pages are numbered using (so-called) Arabic ones?
Has it always been this way? Or was the split ...
2
votes
2answers
237 views
How can I say in one word “number written in words”?
If there should be numbers written in words, like "one hundred and ten" instead of "110", how can I say it in one word?
8
votes
2answers
202 views
Is “-th” still a productive suffix in English?
The main question here is whether using -(e)th to create ordinals out of cardinals1 is still considered a productive suffix in English. Is it?
If so, then does it matter whether we are in a formal ...
0
votes
0answers
47 views
How would you phrase questions that require an “interrogative ordinal” which is absent in English? [duplicate]
Duplicate of:
How should I phrase a question that must be answered with an ordinal number (e.g., the third prime)?
How to phrase an asking sentence that must be answered with an ordinal number?
...
6
votes
2answers
169 views
A quantity followed by a measurement (eg: 200 35mm circles)
If you have a quantity of items, where the items themselves are described with a measurement, how should you format this so it is unambiguous?
For example, This diagram contains...
two hundred ...
4
votes
2answers
243 views
“20th century” vs. “20ᵗʰ century” [closed]
When writing twentieth century using an ordinal numeral, should the th part be in superscript?
20th century
20th century
8
votes
3answers
395 views
What is the correct term to describe 'primary', 'secondary', etc
What is the correct term to describe the words in the following sequence: primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary, quinary, senary, septenary, octonary, nonary, denary, duodenary, etc.
I am thinking ...
7
votes
4answers
285 views
Transcribing long repeating phone numbers
I always have this problem of telling people my phone number which consists of a series of repeating numbers:
184 555 5555 (DO NOT CALL, this is just as an example)
I can tell people it is:
...
1
vote
0answers
69 views
What is the question for which the answer is “This is my third coffee today”? [duplicate]
Duplicate of:
How should I phrase a question that must be answered with an ordinal number (e.g., the third prime)?
Framing a question to which the answer is an ordinal number
How manyth son ...
4
votes
2answers
187 views
Can “number” in “number one” possibly be a Dutchism or a Germanism?
On a Dutch news site, someone claimed that the Dutch use of "nummer" (number) used in the meaning of "you are the number one", is actually an anglicism. It triggered my curiosity and I tried to find ...
3
votes
3answers
2k views
Why is “a 100% increase” the same amount as “a two-fold increase”?
and is such interpretation the norm?
When something went from 4 units to 8 units, most authoritative sources seem to agree with the use of "a two-fold increase", even though what was actually ...
3
votes
1answer
387 views
Meaning of “x is 35 times less than y" [closed]
I’m not sure of whether this is grammatically correct, although I've encountered the same expression many times before.
Most Google searches show it produces 35 times less carbon than the report ...
0
votes
2answers
99 views
Pronunciation of OS X versions [closed]
I don't feel like this belongs on SU, so I put it here.
I know that "OS X" is pronounced "oh-ess ten," but how should the common construction "OS X 10.9" be pronounced?
The primary possibility I can ...
0
votes
2answers
209 views
Usage of hyphens with numeric measurements
What is correct:
two 1-Gb links;
two 1 Gb links; or
two 1Gb links?
I suspect the first, however I do not know the name of this situation, which makes it difficult to for me to find via Google. I ...
