Editing Regional handwriting variation (section)

== Arabic numerals ==
The handwritten numerals used in Western countries have two common forms:

* "In-line" or "full-height" form is similar to that used on typewriters and is taught in North America; in this form all numerals have the same height as the majuscule alphabet (''i.e.'' the capital letters).
* In "old style" [[text figures]], numerals ''0'', ''1'' and ''2'' are [[x-height]]; numerals ''6'' and ''8'' have bowls within x-height, plus ascenders; numerals ''3'', ''5'', ''7'' and ''9'' have descenders from [[x-height]], with ''3'' resembling {{IPA|ʒ}}; and the numeral ''4'' extends a short distance both up and down from [[x-height]]. Old-style numerals are often used by British [[printing press|presses]].

Aside from these two main forms, other regional variations abound.

{{anchor|0}}'''The numeral 0''': Some writers put a diagonal slash through the numeral 0 (zero), a practice that was used on some early, low-resolution computer terminals which displayed a slashed "zero" glyph to distinguish it from the capital letter ''O''. This practice conflicts with the use of the letter "Ø" in the [[Danish language|Danish]] and [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]] languages. Forms that avoid this confusion include: 
* a dot placed in the centre of zero
* the use of a tick, that is, a slash that does not cross the entire bowl of the figure, but lies completely in the upper right
* a form found in Germany with a vertical slash
* a form with a slash from upper left to lower right.

Confusion between the numeral 0 and the letter O can also be resolved by using a script letter O (with a loop at the top).<ref>F. Ryckman, ''Proposed standard SHARE character set'', SHARE Secretary Distribution 82 compiled into [http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=363534.363563&coll=DL&dl=GUIDE "Towards standards for the Handwritten Zero and Oh"] in the ''ACM Association for Computing Machinery Newsletter'', Vol. 10, No. 8, 1961.</ref><!-- this used to have a ref to http://www.k8zt.com/zero.html#fonts, which is dead, but can be seen at http://web.archive.org/web/20150208062041/http://www.k8zt.com/zero.html#fonts. However, there's no mention of this in that page.-->

{{anchor|1}}[[File:Handwriting variations, numeral 1.svg|right]]
'''The numeral 1''': This numeral is sometimes written with a serif at the top extending downward and to the left. People in some parts of Europe extend this stroke nearly the whole distance to the baseline. It is sometimes written with a horizontal serif at the base; without the serif it can resemble the shape of the numeral ''7'', which has a near-vertical stroke without a crossbar, and a shorter horizontal top stroke. This numeral is often written as a plain vertical line without an ear at the top; this form is easily confused with a capital I, a lower-case L, and a vertical bar |.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Misidentification of Alphanumeric Symbols in Both Handwritten and Computer-generated Information |url=http://www.ismp.org/Newsletters/acutecare/articles/20090702.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090712130714/https://www.ismp.org/Newsletters/acutecare/articles/20090702.asp |archive-date=12 July 2009 |work=ISMP Medication Safety Alert! |date=2 July 2009}}</ref>

{{anchor|2}}'''The numeral 2''': In the U.S., Germany and Austria, a curly version used to be taught and is still used by many in handwriting. This too can be confused with a capital script Q, or the letter Z. It appears as ੨.<!--Need better reference for written two.  Cited example is virtually illegible and not representative of curly 2.-->

{{anchor|3}}'''The numeral 3''': This numeral is sometimes written with a flat top, similar to the character Ʒ (ezh). This form is sometimes used to prevent people from fraudulently changing a three into an eight (but introduces the potential for confusion with ezh or with cursive Z).

{{anchor|4}}[[File:Handwriting variations, numeral 4.svg|right]]
'''The numeral 4''': Some people leave the top "open": all the lines are either vertical or horizontal, as in a [[seven-segment display]]. This makes it easier to distinguish from the numeral ''9''. Whether the horizontal bar terminates at or crosses the right vertical bar is insignificant in the West, but to be distinguished from certain Chinese characters (particularly [[wiktionary:丩|丩]]), it must cross.

{{anchor|5}}'''The numeral 5''': In Taiwan, the left vertical bar is extended upwards as a long stem. If this is slanted, the overall figure may more closely resemble an uppercase ''Y''. If casually written it can be confused with the letter S.

{{anchor|6}}'''The numeral 6''': Can be confused with a letter capital ''G'', or the lowercase ''b'', or the nine if inverted.<ref>{{cite web |last=Davidson |first=W.P. |year=1935 |title=A study of confusing letters b, d, p, and q |url=http://drc.ohiolink.edu/handle/2374.OX/24412 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720024408/http://drc.ohiolink.edu/handle/2374.OX/24412 |archive-date=20 July 2011}}</ref> In situations where the number 6 may appear at various angles (such as on billiard balls, some styles of playing cards and dice), it can be underlined (appearing as <u>''6''</u>) or followed by a full stop (appearing as ''6.'') to indicate the proper viewing angle to disambiguate between ''6'' and ''9''; a ''9'' may or may not appear with similar underlining or full stop (as <u>''9''</u> or ''9.''). It can also be written with a straight line rather than a right-curling ascender on top, appearing as ''b''.

{{anchor|7}}'''The numeral 7''': The traditional form found in [[copperplate script|copperplate]] penmanship begins with a serif at the upper left and has a wavy horizontal stroke (like a [[swash (typography)|swash]]). In East Asian countries (Korea, China and Japan), this numeral is commonly written with such a serif, but no swash and no crossbar through the middle. It is usually written with just two strokes, the top horizontal and the (usually angled) vertical. A short horizontal bar is sometimes used to cross the vertical in the middle, to distinguish the seven from a numeral one, especially in cultures (such as French) that write ''1'' with a very long upstroke. This form is used commonly throughout continental Europe, parts of the United States  and frequently in Australia. In Taiwan two horizontal bars are sometimes used, although an extra-long serif is the feature which most clearly distinguishes ''7'' from ''1''. When the cross is added in the center it can cause confusion with a script capital ''F''.

{{anchor|8}}'''The numeral 8''': Some people write this numeral like two circles. Other people write this numeral in one continuous motion, which makes it look like two tear drops or a sideways [[lemniscate]].

{{anchor|9}}'''The numeral 9''': In parts of Europe, this numeral is written with the vertical ending in a hook at the bottom. This version resembles how the lowercase <code>g</code> is commonly written ([[File:Rhv m g1.png]]). Elsewhere the usual shape is to draw the vertical straight to the baseline. A nine may or may not appear with underlining or full stop (as <u>''9''</u> or ''9.'') in order to avoid confusion with ''6''. In China, southern Taiwan, and South Korea, the nine is sometimes written with the loop to the right of the stick, resembling a capital ''P'' or Greek lowercase letter [[Rho|ρ]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=40338 |date=2018-10-19 |work=[[Language Log]] |title=Why Chinese write "9" backwards |last=Mair |first=Victor |authorlink=Victor Mair |accessdate=2024-06-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sinosplice.com/life/archives/2013/06/19/handwritten-chinese-numbers-alternative-arabic-numerals |date=2013-06-19 |website=Sinosplice |title=Handwritten Chinese Numbers: Alternative Arabic Numerals |last=Pasden |first=John |accessdate=2024-06-27}}</ref>