Use of Numbers

Use numbers in a way that supports clarity, consistency, and ease of reading for students. Follow these guidelines across course content, captions, notes, and other written materials:

General Rules

Spell out single-digit numbers (one through nine) in body text, captions, titles, and notes.

Use numerals for 10 and above.

Use both forms when an additional level of clarity ensures that students understand a requirement or criteria (i.e., if they are likely to miss a requirement when skimming assignment instructions).

Always use numerals in tables for clarity and alignment.

Exceptions

Use numerals (even for numbers below 10) in these cases:

• Percentages: “Only 5% of students selected this option.”
• Monetary amounts: “The budget is $7 per student.”
• Mixed numbers in a sentence or series, when at least one number is 10 or higher: “The survey included 3 instructors, 12 students, and 1 administrator.”
• Numbers at the start of a sentence should be spelled out, but try to rephrase the sentence to avoid this construction when possible.
• Acceptable: “Thirty-five students enrolled.”
• Better: “A total of 35 students enrolled.”

Large Numbers

Use numerals with units like million or billion.

Consistency

Use the same format for numbers in the same context (sentence or paragraph), even if that means using numerals for a number under 10 to match others over 10.