RE: Standards for units and values

Subject: RE: Standards for units and values
From: "Andrew Warren" <awarren -at- synaptics -dot- com>
To: "Hauglie, Joe" <jhauglie -at- ti -dot- com>, <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Mon, 4 Jun 2007 14:52:45 -0700

Hauglie, Joe wrote:

> What are the acceptable standards for writing numbers and units? In
> abbreviating units, for example V for volts, do the standards support
> using a space before the unit or not?
> ....
> To follow on, if the standards support using a space, do they also
> support using a hyphen when using the number/unit as an adjective or
> descriptive phrase, or not?
> ....
> Most importantly, I need to have a published reference that supports
> your usage position.

Joe:

The US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) publishes
the Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (SI); it's
available at:

http://physics.nist.gov/cuu/Units/index.html

The section you want is here:

http://physics.nist.gov/Pubs/SP811/sec07.html#7.2

Quoting from it:

7.2 Space between numerical value and unit symbol

In the expression for the value of a quantity, the unit
symbol is placed after the numerical value and a space is
left between the numerical value and the unit symbol.

....

(b) Even when the value of a quantity is used in an
adjectival sense, a space is left between the numerical
value and the unit symbol. (This rule recognizes that unit
symbols are not like ordinary words or abbreviations but
are mathematical entities, and that the value of a quantity
should be expressed in a way that is as independent of
language as possible - see Sec. 7.6 and Sec. 7.10.3.)

Examples: a 1 m end gauge but not: a 1-m end gauge

....

Note: When unit names are spelled out, the normal rules of
English apply. Thus, for example, "a roll of 35-millimeter
film" is acceptable (see Sec. 7.6, note 3).

-Andrew

=== Andrew Warren - awarren -at- synaptics -dot- com
=== Synaptics, Inc - Santa Clara, CA
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