Use Both Rounded And Exact Numbers

Business Communication   Written by Dianna Booher on 07/2003 - Word Count: 187
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Exact numbers sound more credible: "The number of single-parent households among our employee population in the Los Angeles office has grown to 83.9 percent" sounds exact and therefore accurate. Rounded numbers, on the other hand, give the appearance of estimations. Yet "slightly less than 85 percent" is easier to remember than "83.9 percent of the employees."

So which do you use if you want the numbers to be both credible and memorable? Use the exact number first, and then round it off in later references. Use the exact number in charts; round it off when elaborating on the chart.

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Dianna Booher, CPS, is CEO of Booher Consultants, a Dallas-based communications consulting firm that offers training in effective writing, oral presentations, interpersonal skills, and customer service communications. She is a keynote speaker and has written over 37 books, including Communicate with Confidence! [McGraw-Hill]. To bring Dianna’s expertise to your group,



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