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In software user interface context, what symbol should I use to represent a quantity (the number of units for a given object)? At the moment I use "#" but I feel like it represents an index, not a quantity.
Should I use "No.", "Nb." or else? Although I would prefer a symbol, maybe there isn't any...

Edit : for example, I use "# Apples" as for "Number of apples" in the header of a table

Gatien G.
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  • Can you give an example of the context. Are you writing (eg) #6 or just # with number. Is it in the header of table, or on a button, or part of a sentence. I suspect this is an XY problem, the right solution is not to use an abbreviation at all. – James K Jan 03 '22 at 16:27
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    @JamesK I edited my question, it is the header of a table. – Gatien G. Jan 03 '22 at 16:36
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    "# Apples" or "No. Apples" are both fine. You'd have to be pretty out of it not to understand what that means (unless the context is somehow confusing, which, at the moment, is hard to imagine). You could put "of" in the middle if you have room. I haven't seen "Nb." very often for this purpose - so "No." is definitely better than "Nb." – cruthers Jan 03 '22 at 16:47
  • @cruthers If that is an answer, it has been written in the wrong place. – James K Jan 03 '22 at 19:20

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You should write out the words

In American English, you can write #6 with a numeral to mean "number 6". That is recognised but not so common in British English. In British English you can write No. So "No. of Apples" would be readable, but not a great solution, especially as this use is less common in North America. It also looks like "no apples" meaning "zero apples".

However "Nb" is a Latin abbreviation meaning "Take note" (Nota bene). It doesn't mean number

You should write the word out in full, or provide context so that it is clearly understood without any word.

James K
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