common numbers

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "common numbers" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to numbers that are frequently encountered or used in various contexts, such as mathematics or statistics. Example: "In statistics, common numbers like 1, 2, and 3 often serve as examples in basic calculations."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

Perhaps behind those common numbers is common ground: investors on both sides see that a capable Palestinian political leadership remains in the best interest of both.* "Assassinations: Evaluating the effectiveness of a counterterrorism policy using stockmarket data".

The Economist

A Stanford study conducted last year discovered that even among a group of 300 people with almost no mutual ties, over 17% were connected on the second so-called "hop" – or degrees of separation – through T-Mobile's voice mailbox system, with other common numbers like Comcast and FedEx linking other people on a second hop.

The Guardian - Opinion

One, five, seven, and nine tails are the most common numbers in folk stories.

Wikipedia

The most common numbers (the mode) of strikeouts has been six (happened nine times) and nine (happened nine times as well), which really doesn't tell us much.

Huffington Post

So it gives equal weight to every sample, which is useful to measure the performance on the common numbers of classes.

BioMed Research International

The number of ERP stimuli added was varied from 5 to 30, to simulate common numbers of trials in infant ERP studies.

Behavior Research Methods

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Eight chukkers are played in Argentina, and four is a common number in England and on the European continent.

Encyclopedia Britannica

It launched with a spoof poster campaign and website, trashbat.co.ck, advertising a fictional "Wasp T-12 phone", which has a larger number five-key "because it's the most common number".

The Guardian

A less common number was seven, representing the cardinal direction plus "up" or the sky, "down" or the world below, and "centre" or the location of the ritual.

Encyclopedia Britannica

But it's possible to get sucked up without talking to terrorists, via some other common number – a voice-mail dial-in, or a telemarketer, or a pizza place.

The Guardian - Opinion

Fear of becoming one of the surprisingly common number of pro-looking riders who, locked into their pedals, totter at traffic lights and fall slowly, Laurel and Hardy-style, to the ground.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing statistics, use "common numbers" to refer to the mode or frequently occurring values in a data set. This helps to highlight typical trends or patterns.

Common error

Avoid using "common numbers" when you actually mean average or median values. While related, these terms have distinct statistical meanings. "Common numbers" typically refer to the mode, which is the most frequently occurring value, not the central tendency.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "common numbers" functions as a noun phrase, typically used to describe numbers that occur frequently or are widely recognized within a specific context. Ludwig examples illustrate its use in diverse fields from statistical analysis to network infrastructure, confirming its role in identifying prevalent numerical values.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

25%

Wiki

21%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

8%

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

"Common numbers" refers to frequently occurring or widely recognized numerical values within a particular context. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct and acceptable for use across various registers, although it's more frequently found in science, news, and wiki contexts. While "common numbers" is often used to identify the mode in statistics, it's important not to confuse it with averages or other measures of central tendency. Alternatives like "frequent numerals" or "typical figures" can be used to add variety to your writing, but ensure they accurately reflect the intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

most frequent numbers

Reorders the words to emphasize the frequency, adding slight emphasis.

frequent numerals

Replaces "numbers" with "numerals" while keeping the focus on frequency. Slightly more formal.

typical figures

Substitutes "numbers" with "figures", implying a standard or expected quantity.

usual digits

Replaces "numbers" with "digits", emphasizing the individual numeric characters, and "common" with "usual".

ordinary numbers

Uses "ordinary" as a synonym for "common", suggesting numbers that are unremarkable or typical.

prevalent values

Shifts the focus to the values that are most often observed or recorded.

generally used numbers

Rephrases to clarify that the numbers are in general use or widely accepted.

average figures

Highlights values representing an average quantity.

mode values

Focuses on the statistical mode, representing the most frequently occurring value in a data set.

widely recognized figures

Emphasizes the aspect of general acknowledgment or understanding of the figures.

FAQs

How can I use "common numbers" in a sentence?

You can use "common numbers" to refer to frequently occurring values in a set, like, "The "most common number" of bedrooms in apartments in this city is two."

What's the difference between "common numbers" and averages?

"Common numbers" refer to the values that appear most often in a data set (the mode), while averages (mean or median) represent central tendencies. They are different statistical measures. For example, the average can be very different from what is a "most frequent numbers".

What can I say instead of "common numbers"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "frequent numerals", "typical figures", or "prevalent values".

Are "common numbers" always statistically significant?

Not necessarily. While "common numbers" indicate frequency, their statistical significance depends on the context and the specific data set. A high frequency alone doesn't guarantee statistical importance.