How do you help readers grasp the meaning of especially large or small numbers? Make those numbers make sense by relating them to a familiar place, person or thing.
See what I mean in my August newsletter. By coincidence, the examples I found all relate to places familiar to many Canadians. And it all starts with a concert nine years ago by beloved Canadian band The Tragically Hip.
The lead singer, Gord Downie, had incurable brain cancer, and he, the band and fans knew he did not have long to live. (He died just over a year later.) The final concert of their tour, performed in their hometown of Kingston, Ontario, aired live on TV and radio, and streamed on the Internet.
Some 12 million Canadians watched the concert, including me. The significance of that number: it was one-third of the country. That helpful comparison was made by history buff Craig Baird, who hosts a podcast and radio show and tweets about Canadian history.
Read more examples in August Wordnerdery.
Have you seen any examples of making numbers make sense? Please share!
Related reading (and viewing):
Learn more about Gord Downie and his songwriting skills
‘Watch parties’ and the last song sung by The Hip, “Ahead by a Century”
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