"The number is" vs "The numbers are"

Question

"The number is" vs "The numbers are"

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'The numbers are' is used when referring to multiple numbers, while 'the number is' is used when referring to a single number.

Last Updated: March 31, 2024

Use 'the number is' when you are talking about a single number. This phrase is used to indicate that there is only one number being referred to.

Examples:

The number is 10.
The number is displayed in red.
The number is odd.
The number is divisible by 2.
The number is written in the corner.

Alternatives:

the figure is
the numerical value is
the quantity is
the amount is
the statistic is

Use 'the numbers are' when you are talking about more than one number. This phrase is used to indicate that multiple numbers are involved.

Examples:

The numbers are increasing steadily.
The numbers are displayed on the screen.
The numbers are different from what I expected.
The numbers are not adding up correctly.
The numbers are written in bold font.

Alternatives:

the figures are
the numerical values are
the quantities are
the amounts are
the statistics are

Answer 1

The number is

This phrase is correct and commonly used when referring to a single number.

Answer 2

The numbers are

This phrase is correct and commonly used when referring to multiple numbers.

"The number is" vs "The numbers are"

The number is

The numbers are

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