the number is fewer than vs the number is less than

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'The number is fewer than' is used when referring to countable items, while 'the number is less than' is used when referring to uncountable quantities or measurements.

Last updated: April 04, 2024 • 458 views

This phrase is correct when referring to countable items.

"the number is fewer than"

Use 'the number is fewer than' when comparing countable items, such as 'the number of students is fewer than the number of teachers.'

Examples:

The number of apples is fewer than the number of oranges.
The number of books on the shelf is fewer than the number of magazines.
The number of cars in the parking lot is fewer than the number of bicycles.
The number of students in the class is fewer than the number of desks.
The number of employees in the company is fewer than the number of computers.

Show examples from the web [+]

the number is fewer than
Given, moreover, that the number of redundancies is fewer than the 1000 threshold which would trigger measures under the European Globalisation Fund, what other measures has the Commission taken to reintegrate these redundant workers into the labour market?
Such limitation shall not, however, reduce the number to fewer than one proxy holder for shares held in the same securities account.
That the numbers are far fewer than five or six million.
His paintings number fewer than 20.
The number would be fewer, but they counted also the priests.
In 1997, Jonathan Kingdon suggested that the Nubian giraffe was the most threatened of all giraffes; as of 2010, it may number fewer than 250, although this estimate is uncertain.
Portugal is home to the largest population of these Sorraia horses, estimated to number fewer than one hundred in 2002.
Because: The higher the resolution, the fewer the number of images transferred per second.
Higher numbers will close fewer folds.
Accordingly, the number of premaxillary teeth is high, while the maxillary teeth are fewer in number or even completely absent.
If one considers large international administrations - the European administration, for example, of which Archbishop Lajolo gave me the number of employees - we are actually far fewer in number.
The fewer the number of games played, the wider the normal variance of actual payback that may be experienced.
The FTC before Congress gave a report showing that the number of complaints was fewer than one tenth of one percent, lower than any other industry.
In number theory, he proved there is no odd perfect number with fewer than four prime factors.
They may not, however, limit this number to fewer than two for each category of groundhandling service.
I joined CompuServe when it had fewer numbers than I currently have followers on Twitter.
Scholarly calligraphy and poetry also continue, in much fewer numbers, this heritage.
The tribes inhabiting this city are mainly Ja'Alin with fewer numbers of Ababda.
And now our numbers are even fewer.
The problem of the people who are more or less willing to go back - and we fear they are fewer in number - is that they go back into all kinds of different situations.

Alternatives:

the number is less than
the number is lower than
the number is under

This phrase is correct when referring to uncountable quantities or measurements.

"the number is less than "

Use 'the number is less than' when comparing uncountable quantities or measurements, such as 'the number of hours is less than the number of days.'

Examples:

The number of hours is less than the number of days.
The weight of the package is less than the weight limit.
The temperature outside is less than 0 degrees Celsius.
The amount of sugar in the recipe is less than the recommended quantity.
The length of the rope is less than the distance needed.

Show examples from the web [+]

If the number is less than 1 is that you have consumed more energy than did produce the project.
If the number is less than 10, or if there have been at least that many previous capturing left parentheses in the expression, the entire sequence is taken as a back reference.
See more videos of Articles related to Constipation and its treatment By Dr. Javier De Oca Burguete2019-01-28 When the number is less than 3 bowel movements per week, it is considered that a person suffers constipation.
If the number is less than 1 is that you have consumed more energy than did produce the project. Clearly, if you consume two barrels for produce that is not profitable!
If the number is less than. then always round the number down, so in this example we round it down to 6.
Whenever the number of the elders is small, the deacons may be added to the consistory by local regulation; this shall invariably be the rule where the number is less than three.

Alternatives:

the number is fewer than
the number is lower than
the number is under

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the number is fewer than vs the number is less than