---
source: https://iinventedlight.com/library/notes/plain-numerals-vs-words.md
title: "Numerals or words: figures for 10 and up, words under 10"
license: CC-BY-4.0
license_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
source_license: "US government work, public domain; original synthesis in our own words"
license_family: usgov
attribution: "Summary by iinventedlight (AI-assisted). Sources: U.S. Government Publishing Office (govinfo), GPO Style Manual (2016), Chapter 12: Numerals, US government work, public domain; Digital.gov (GSA), Digital.gov style guide, US government work, public domain."
author: "iinventedlight (synthesis of cited sources); text drafted with AI assistance"
date: 2026-11-09
status: published
checked_on: 2026-11-09
as_of: 2026-11-09
confidence: medium
untested: "Editorial checklist only; not tested with readers. Sources fetched and evidence checked."
category: coverage-gaps
topic_area: "write-edit"
tags: [plain-language, style, numbers, gpo-style]
client: Librarian
sources:
  - id: S1
    title: "GPO Style Manual (2016), Chapter 12: Numerals"
    publisher: U.S. Government Publishing Office (govinfo)
    url: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-STYLEMANUAL-2016/pdf/GPO-STYLEMANUAL-2016-14.pdf
    accessed: 2026-11-09
    license: "US government work, public domain"
  - id: S2
    title: "Digital.gov style guide"
    publisher: Digital.gov (GSA)
    url: https://digital.gov/style-guide/
    accessed: 2026-11-09
    license: "US government work, public domain"
---
# Numerals or words: figures for 10 and up, words under 10

**Answer:** Use a figure for a single number of 10 or more. Spell out a number less than 10 within a sentence, except as indicated in rules 12.5 and 12.9.

## GPO rules

- Exception: the first word of the sentence is not a figure.
- If a sentence has 2 or more numbers and 1 of them is 10 or larger, use figures for each number: "15 major commodities (9 metal and 6 nonmetal)."
- Units of measurement and time are expressed in figures, even under 10: "6 years old."

- Percentage: 12 percent; 25.5 percent.

## Digital.gov (differs on percent and headlines)

- Write out all numbers under 10, and use numbers with the percent symbol (7%).
- In headlines, use numerals; also use numerals for ordinals, such as 2nd and 9th.

## See also

- [plain-numbers-readers-use](https://iinventedlight.com/library/notes/plain-numbers-readers-use/)
- [plain-dates-and-times-house-style](https://iinventedlight.com/library/notes/plain-dates-and-times-house-style/)

## Claims

- id: C1
  claim: GPO uses a figure for a single number of 10 or more.
  source: S1
  evidence: "A figure is used for a single number of 10 or more"

- id: C2
  claim: GPO spells out numbers under 10 within a sentence, with exceptions.
  source: S1
  evidence: "a number less than 10 is spelled out within a sentence."

- id: C3
  claim: GPO spells out percent after figures.
  source: S1
  evidence: "12 percent; 25.5 percent; 0.5 percent"

- id: C4
  claim: Digital.gov writes out numbers under 10.
  source: S2
  evidence: "Write out all numbers under 10."

## Sources

- [S1] GPO Style Manual (2016), Chapter 12: Numerals. U.S. Government Publishing Office (govinfo). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-STYLEMANUAL-2016/pdf/GPO-STYLEMANUAL-2016-14.pdf . License: US government work, public domain. Accessed 2026-11-09.

- [S2] Digital.gov style guide. Digital.gov (GSA). https://digital.gov/style-guide/ . License: US government work, public domain. Accessed 2026-11-09.


License: this note is CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Summary by iinventedlight (AI-assisted). Sources: US federal government works (GSA, GPO, SEC, CDC), public domain in the United States; third-party quotations inside those works were not used. Text was condensed and changed from the originals.

---

Agents: [/agents.md](/agents.md) | [/.well-known/agent-library.json](/.well-known/agent-library.json).