Page:The practice of typography; correct composition; a treatise on spelling, abbreviations, the compounding and division of words, the proper use of figures and nummerals by De Vinne, Theodore Low, 1828-1914.djvu/93



Words should always be preferred for numbers as well as for dates in legal documents, as in

Words should also be used in all legal papers for the statement of moneys paid, as well as for the measurements of land and the expression of values, for figures are specially liable to error, alteration, and misconstruction. For this reason statements of numbers plainly intended to have special distinction should be in words, even when they appear as arabic figures in ordinary writings. Even in compact writing the use of spelled-out words instead of figures is sometimes obligatory.

When the sentence begins with a numerical statement, words must be used for the numbers, even if figures are used in other parts of that sentence.

A statement like this is permissible in a newspaper or pamphlet, but in a history or in any book in-