I. STATISTICS

Reading Numbers and Figures. Speaking About Graphs

Read the explanations and study the examples:

>>> 100 = a (one) hundred

200, 300, etc. = two hundred, three hundred, etc.

101 – 199, 201 – 299, etc. = a (or one) hundred and one, etc

1,623,457 – one million, six hundred and twenty-three thousand, four hundred and fifty-seven

Two million people live here. – Millions of people took part in the campaign.

They read two dozen books. – They read dozens of books., etc

>>> a six-week waiting list

a ten-pound note

a three-metre drop

a five-star hotel

a six-billion-dollar loan, etc.

>>> A number of things is used with a plural form of a verb.

The number of things is used with a singular form of a verb.

A number of key issues remain unresolved.

A large/ small number of women are taking up self-defense.

The number of electricity consumers has risen by 50%.

The exact number of members is not known.

>>> When you talk about part of a single thing, you use a singular form of a verb.

When you talk about part of a group of things, you use a plural form of a verb.

Half of our work is to design programmes.

More than two-thirds of the globe’s surface is water.

Two fifths of the forest was removed.

Two fifths of the dwellings have more than two people per room.

A quarter of the students were seen individually.

>>> nought – before a decimal point: 0.66 – nought point six; 0.001 – nought point oh oh one; 0.326 – nought point three two six

oh [ou] - in telephone numbers: 67 0138 - six seven oh one three eight

after a decimal point: 5.03 - five point oh three

in bus numbers: №701 – Get the seven oh one.

in hotel room numbers: I’m in Room 206. – two oh six

in years: 1905 – nineteen oh five

zero - in temperatures

>>> When talking about money, time, distance, speed or weight use a singular form of a verb.

Three hundred pounds is a lot of money.

Ten years is a long time.

90 mph is much too fast.

>>> Look at the following table which shows the words you use, when you speak about money:

U.S.A.	European Union	United Kingdom
One dollar = 100 cents	One euro = 100 cents	One pound = 100 pence
Coins: 1¢ (cent) 5¢ (nickel) 10¢ (dime) 25¢ (quarter) $1 (dollar)	Coins: 1c, 2c, 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c €1 €2	Coins: 1p,5p, 10p, 20p, 50p (one “pee”, five “pee”) £1, £2
Bills: $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100 ($2 uncommon)	Notes: €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200	Notes: £5, £10, £20, £50

RUB = 1 rouble (BrE) / ruble (AmE) [′ru:bəl] – 100 kopeks / kopecks / copecks

¥ = yen (singular) - yen (plural)

€ = euro (singular) – euros (plural)

p = penny (singular) – pence (plural)

>>> = two-thirds ( 2 - the numerator, 3 – the denominator)

= three-sixths, = four ninths, etc

= one-sixth, = one-ninth, etc

1 = one and two thirds

= nine thirteenths or nine over thirteen

1 hours = one hour and a half = one and a half hours

1.62 = one point six two

10.3 – ten point three

0.25 ton = nought point two five of a ton

1.25 tons = one point two five tons

>>> 28% - twenty-eight per cent (the stress in on the cent)

What’s 30% of 260?

4– four squared

7 – seven cubed

8 – eight to the power of four

10 - ten to the power of minus three

>>> Look at the following tables which show numbers in different years.

You can describe it using numbers, fractions or percentages:

1990	1995
1200	1800

The number went up by 600, from 1200 to 1800. (Number)

The number went up by half, from 1200 to 1800. (Fraction)

The figure went up by 50%, from 1200 to 1800. (Percentage)

The figure went up 150%, to 1800. (Percentage)

Use "trebled, -fold and times":

1992	1994	1996	1998
500	1000	3000	1200

The number doubled between 1992 and 1994.

The number trebled between 1994 and 1996.

The figure quadrupled from 1996 10 1998.

There was a twofold increase between 1992 and 1994.

The figure went up sixfold between 1992 and 1996.

The figure in 1996 was three times the 1992 figure.

The figure in 1998 was four times the 1996 figure.

Use fractions:

1992	1994	1996	1998
1000	800	400	100

Between 1992 and 1994, the figure fell by one-fifth.

Between 1994 and 1996, the number dropped by a half.

The figure in 1998 was one-tenth the 1992 total.

>>> + add / plus

- subtract / minus

x multiply / multiplied by

: divide / divided by

= is / makes

10 : 4 = 2 - ten divided by four is two and a half

10m x 12m – ten metres by twelve metres