I have a question regarding the correct spacing of plus-or-minus sign (±) in a specific situation.
Normally there should be a space on both sides of the sign, e.g., A ± B. If I want to express “20 percent plus or minus 3 percent” it could be 20% ± 3%. But what if I want to omit the first percentage sign for conciseness? Should it be:
- 20±3%, or
- 20 ± 3%?
I personally prefer the first one, because the second one could also mean 20(an integer) fluctuate within 3%, i.e., 19.4-20.6?
I couldn’t find the answer anywhere. Thank you in advance for answering the question.
This is a typesetting, rather than a mathematical issue, but I'd prefer the latter, personally.