Effective: 12/1/1984

Revised: 9/15/2003

CAM 302–02: Numbers

To provide guidelines for the use of numbers within policies and procedures

Academic and Administrative Documents

Use arabic numerals to express numbers greater than nine. Spell out nine and smaller numbers. However, be consistent in spelling out numbers or using numerals. Normally, use numerals for a series of numbers.

Examples

Ordinal numbers follow the general rules described above for cardinal numbers. The preferred form of the ordinals “second” and “third” is with “d” alone, not “nd” and “rd.”

Examples

Numbers greater than nine:	10th, 22d, 123d
Nine and numbers less than nine:	first, second, third

Do not repeat in parentheses a number that is spelled out.

Example

three (not three [3])

Do not begin a sentence with a numeral.

Examples

Six thousand people work at the university.
Forty-nine percent of the students are women.

Ordinarily, spell out a fraction. However, quantities consisting of both whole numbers and fractions should be expressed as numerals.

Examples

Fractions:	two-thirds
Whole numbers with fraction:	1 2/3 8 1/2-by-11-inch paper

Use numerals to express dates, hours, decimals, measures, and percentages.

Examples

Dates:	7/1/1993
Hours:	8:00 a.m.
Decimals:	3.42
Measures:	3 miles 3 yards, 2 feet, and 4 inches
Percentages:	2 percent

Note:

Always spell out the word “percent,” rather than using the symbol (%).

Use numerals to express monetary values.

Examples

$.50
25.5 cents
$7
$94.50
more than $10,000
less than $25,000
$25,000 or more
$100,000
$1 million
but zero dollars

Use numerals to express volume, section, page, and exhibit references.

Examples

CAM 104, p. 2
CAM 501A, p. 2

Note:

Please be advised that the policies and procedures used as examples in the CAM manual are often out of date and no longer applicable. They were chosen as examples when the CAM manual was revised in 1992. To access the current policies and procedures manuals, please go to http://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals.