number typing practice

why numbers are their own skill

most typing practice sticks to letters, so the number row never gets the reps it needs. the digits sit a full reach above home row, and the symbols above them need shift — so a phone number or a price breaks the rhythm you built on words. these fifteen lines put numbers back in the context they actually show up in: times, dates, money, page references, and phone numbers.

top row or number pad

the number row across the top of the keyboard is always there, including on laptops and compact keyboards with no separate pad. learning it means you can type any figure without moving your hands far. a dedicated number pad is faster for long columns of figures, but it is a separate skill and many keyboards don't have one — so the top row is the one worth training first.

which finger reaches which digit

the same fingers that own each column on home row reach up for the digit above it: the index fingers cover 4, 5, 6, and 7, and the middle, ring, and little fingers take the rest out to 1 and 0. the on-screen keyboard highlights the next key, so you can keep your eyes on the screen and let each reach become automatic instead of hunting for it.

what you'll type

1. set a timer for 10 minutes, then take a break.
2. the recipe needs 2 cups of flour and 3 eggs.
3. chapter 5 ends on page 142, not 128.
4. flight 207 boards at 6:45 from gate 14.
5. we're meeting at 4:30 — bring 2 chairs if you can.
6. my locker is 38, and the code is 0719.
7. the bus leaves at 7:55 and arrives by 8:20.
8. 3 plus 4 is 7, and 5 minus 2 is 3.
9. there were 124 people in line; only 30 made it.
10. my new phone is 555-0142 if you need it.
11. i grew 1.5 inches over the summer.
12. $2.25 each, so 4 of them costs $9.
13. the form had 25 questions and i got 23 right.
14. page 7, paragraph 2, line 4 — that's the quote.
15. on 04/15 the deadline moved to 04/29.

questions