cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/21049862

The only numbers I will ever spell are one and zero, and only when using them as a pronoun, or for emphasis, respectively.

Is there ever a reason to not to use symbols when dealing with numbers? Why would “fourteen whatevers” ever be preferable to “14 whatevers”. It’s just so much easier to read numbers as symbols, not spelled out.

(Caveat, not including multipliers, like “273 billion”).

  • Tar_AlcaranEnglish
    18•2 months ago

    Caveat, not including multipliers, like “273 billion”

    You mean 273e9?

        • FuglyDuckEnglish
          6•2 months ago

          It’s a highly technical term for “lots and lots.”

      • @MisterFrogOPEnglish
        7•2 months ago

        Only if you have a unit.

        273 GW 👍

        Else, looks kind weird, to my eyes anyway. But fair point haha

        • @marcosEnglish
          1•2 months ago

          Too bad people underuse it.

          Separating the prefixes from the unities is very useful even in calculations where both are there.

          • @MisterFrogOPEnglish
            1•2 months ago

            You do you, but this is a big no-no from my point of view.

            For example separating the prefix m from mm would be rather confusing, and look like another unit.

            You can, however, put 10^x wherever you like 👍

    • @MisterFrogOPEnglish
      5•2 months ago

      I’ll allow billion, but personally my preference is using powers of 10 or unit prefixes.

      Just I’m not gonna be mad about the newspaper writing 3.5 billion dollars.

      • @marcosEnglish
        3•2 months ago

        Unless that number means something different from US$ 3.5e9.

        If you are one of those people that think your country uses the other “billion”, just don’t.

        • @MisterFrogOPEnglish
          2•2 months ago

          Touche, yeah, I’d totally be on board if everyone just uses $3.5*10⁹ or $3.5e9. Good luck getting it catch on outside eng/science circles though haha