Difficulty with trying to describe the quantity of something

Question

I am trying to write a word problem, and am having trouble with the wording of one part. Let's say for the sake of example that there are 10 apples and 20 oranges. Call them both items. I am trying to say something like, "there is a whole number of apples, and a whole number of oranges," but without the redundancy. I am currently considering "there is a whole number of each item." Is this grammatically correct and unambiguous?

Patricia Rose · Answer

It is. "Each" distinguishes that you're referring to both (or more) items.

Rosie F · Answer

"Item" is not a suitable word for what you mean. (If anything, I'd assume that if "item" meant anything it meant an individual apple or orange.)

How about "there is a whole number of each kind of fruit"?

marcellothearcane · Answer

there is a whole number of both apples and oranges.

The 'both' here is acting as an adverb, and means the 'whole number' applies to all the things following it.

adverb: both
   1. used before the first of two alternatives to emphasize that the statement being made applies to each (the other alternative being introduced by ‘and’).

Lexico

Difficulty with trying to describe the quantity of something

3 Answers

Add your own answers!

Ask a Question