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I want to convey a requirement that has a minimum but no maximum to my users. For instance 8.

Which is more understandable? Participants: >8 or Participants: 8+ ?

From layouts point of view >8 is more favorable because it can be right aligned along with other numbers too.

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  • 7
    If you want to get technical, they each have different meanings anyway. >8 = greater than 8 8+ = greater than or equal to 8 Nov 1, 2011 at 5:16
  • 2
    It depends on the context. In the wrong context 'participants 8+' could be read as those who are over 8 years old.
    – PhillipW
    Nov 1, 2011 at 10:29
  • 3
    @nick What about ≥8?
    – Knu
    Nov 1, 2011 at 16:15
  • 1
    @Knu technically correct but UTF-8/ect extended characters are generally good to avoid.
    – Ben Brocka
    Nov 1, 2011 at 17:26
  • I believe that the "8+" form is very particular to the engilsh language. So take that into account if you're doing something that will be translated into multiple languages. Aug 6, 2012 at 15:31

8 Answers 8

14

Possibly neither, they each have different meanings:

>8 = greater than 8
8+ = greater than or equal to 8

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    Uh, ok, so then how about >7 vs. 8+? Nov 1, 2011 at 19:23
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    8+ is more intuitive to me at a glance. >7 would be used in a mathematical context, but in a UI, I would use 8+ myself. Nov 1, 2011 at 21:51
17

Definitely 8+. I've met college graduates who still get the less than and greater than signs mixed up.

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  • What about +8 ?
    – Moe Sweet
    Nov 1, 2011 at 3:46
  • 5
    @MoeSweet - I don't think so. You never really see the + before the number with this kind of thing. If right-aligning is such an issue, couldn't you just pad the numbers that don't have a + with a single space? Nov 1, 2011 at 3:54
  • 9
    I would interpret +8 as a stupid way to write 8 (in contrast to -8).
    – giraff
    Nov 1, 2011 at 7:25
  • 1
    If you're dealing with a gamer, +8 means you add 8 to an object or action (I have a cloak with +8 dexterity). 8+ would mean you have to achieve something of at least 8 (you need to roll 8+ in order to kill the dragon). So there's some more...esoteric logic behind the differences. Nov 1, 2011 at 16:35
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You'll find enough people who will not understand 8+ (basically everybody who works outside of IT). But everybody who attended a school should understand >7.

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Could you not write it in English? "More than 8" "8 or greater" "8 or more"?

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    Doesn't have space for that. Thanks anyway.
    – Moe Sweet
    Nov 2, 2011 at 2:05
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We had this discussion internally and went for 8+. It seems to make most sense to most people. >8 refers to math while you are more likely to come across 8+ when for example checking the pricing table at Disneyland.

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    Agreed. < and > are used in programming, mathematics, etc. But they aren't seen and used in every day life for most people. Nov 2, 2011 at 20:34
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@PhillipW made a good point. It depends the context. With 8+ you may have double meaning, while >8 is a safer choice.

0

"min. 8" or "8 min.". This is of course longer than what you have proposed but it is more verbose and has less of a change of being misunderstood.

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  • Doesn't have space for that. Thanks anyway.
    – Moe Sweet
    Nov 2, 2011 at 2:05
0

8+” might be ambiguous as it could be interpreted as “more than 8.”

I’d use “≥8.”

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