Question by zemblan: Why do official documents write out numbers and use numeric symbols at the same time?
I don’t think I explained it well in the heading, here’s an example:

“submit an application, resume, cover letter and reference list with three (3) professional references”

Why did they add the (3) after they’d written out the word “three”? If someone doesn’t understand the word “three” written out, then that person 1– can’t read the rest of the form anyway, and 2– isn’t someone who should be applying for the position. But I see that all the time, so I figure there has to be a reason. It’s probably a bad reason, but at least it is a reason and I’d like to know what it is.
Do you actually know that or are you guessing? because that doesn’t make sense to me, it goes back to my two objections. What, is someone going to say “ohh, I thought you wrote ‘thirty’ instead of ‘three’ because I have the strangest case of dyslexia in recorded history. Sorry for sending 30 references”? I don’t see where the confusion could possibly come in.

Best answer:

Answer by millionaire
so there is no confusion by some number looking like another, and so numbers can’t be fudged

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!