AP Style Numbers

Writing Explained

You should use figures for 10 or above and whenever preceding a unit of measure or referring to ages of people, animals, events or things. Also use figures in all tabular matter, and in statistical and sequential forms.

Use Figures For

Academic course numbers:

Addresses:

Spell out numbered streets nine and under. For example,

Ages:

Use hyphens for ages expressed as adjectives before a noun or as substitutes for a noun. For example,

Planes, ships, and spacecraft designations:

(Do not use hyphens.)

An exception to spelling out numbers for planes, ships, etc. is “Air Force One,” the president’s plane.

Use Roman numerals if they are part of the official designation. For example,

See also AP Style Aircraft Names, AP Style Boats, Ships, and AP Style Spacecraft Designations.

Centuries:

Use figures for numbers 10 or higher.

Spell out for numbers nine and lower.

Note, “century” is lowercase. For proper names, follow the organization’s usage,

Court Decisions:

The words “to” is not needed, except in quotations. Example,

Dates, Years, Decades:

For the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, 9/11 is acceptable in all references.

Decimals, Percentages, and Fractions With Numbers Larger Than 1:

Decimalization should not exceed two places in most text material. An exception is blood alcohol content, which is express in three decimals. For example,

For amounts less than 1, precede the decimal with a zero. For example,

When the decimal is 1 or less, the type of measurement should be singular. For example,

Spell out fractions less than 1, using hyphens between the words. For example,

In quotations, use figures for fractions. For example,

See also AP Style Decimal Units, AP Style Fractions, and AP Style Percent.

Dimensions:

Exception: a two-by-four. Spell out the noun, which refers to any length of building lumber 1.5 inches thick by 3.5 inches wide.

See also AP Style Dimensions.

Distances:

Golf Clubs:

Highway destinations:

Mathematical Usage:

Military Ranks:

Used as titles with names, military terms, and weapons.

In military ranks, spell out the figure when it is used after the name or without a name. For example,

See also AP Style Military Units.

Millions, Billions, Trillions Dollars:

Use a figure-word combination.

Also note no hyphen linking numerals and the word million, billion, or trillion.

See also AP Style Millions, Billions, Trillions Dollars.

Monetary Units:

See also AP Style Cents

Odds, Proportions, and Ratios:

See also AP Style Betting Odds, AP Style Proportions, and AP Style Ratios.

Rank:

Note the abbreviation for “Number.” Do not use this abbreviation in names of schools or in street addresses. For example,

There is one exception, “No. 10 Downing St.,” which is the residence of Britain’s prime minister.

School Grades:

Use figures for grades 10 and above.

Spell out for first through ninth grades.

Sequential Designations:

See also AP Style Act Numbers, AP Style Chapters, AP Style Earthquakes, AP Style Line Numbers, AP Style Page Numbers, and AP Style Scene Numbers.

Political Districts:

See also AP Style Congressional Districts and AP Style Political Divisions.

Recipes:

See also AP Style Recipes

Speeds:

Sports scores, Standings, and Standards:

In narrative, spell out nine and under except for yard lines in football and individual and team statistical performances.

In statistical performances, hyphenate as a modifier.

Temperatures:

Use figures, except zero.

See also AP Style Temperatures.

Times:

Use figures for time of day except for noon and midnight.

Spell out numbers less than 10 standing alone and in modifiers.

See also AP Style Times, AP Style Time Sequences, and Is Noon AM or PM?

Votes:

Spell out:

At the start of a sentence:

The only exception is years.

See also AP Style Years.

In indefinite and casual uses:

In fanciful usage or proper names:

In formal language, rhetorical quotations, and figures of speech:

In fractions less than one that are not used as modifiers:

Roman Numerals:

Roman Numerals may be used for wars and to establish personal sequence for people and animals.

Also for certain legislative acts (Title IX). Otherwise, use sparingly. Except in formal reference, pro football Super Bowls should be identified by the year, rather than the Roman numerals.

Ordinals:

Numbers used to indicate order (first, second, 10th, 25th, etc.) are called ordinal numbers. Spell out first through ninth.

Use figures starting with 10th.

Cardinal Numbers:

Numbers used in counting or showing how many (2, 40, 627, etc.) are called cardinal numbers. The following separate entries additional guidance for cardinal numbers.

Some other punctuation and usage example for AP Style Numbers,

Other Uses:

For uses not covered by these listings, spell out whole numbers below 10, and use figures for 10 and above.

In a Series:

Apply the standard guidelines:

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