En Dashes & Hyphens in Same Phrase
Without recasting and in lieu of unsightly suspensive hyphenation, could these work? The en dash (which means "to") is used between the figures, and the hyphens are used in the compound modifier. To me, the examples below are concise and clear.
Do you agree that the examples below are 100% punctuated correctly--yes or no?
45–50-year-old men
10–20-mile radius
$45–$55-million-per-year industry
$100,000–$150,000-a-year savings
10–15-degree temperature difference
$2–$5-per-day service fees
45–75-cent-a-week raises
55–65-mph speed zone
15–20-ounce steaks
20%–40%-a-year tax increases
It works, and it's technically unexceptionable; but I think it should be avoided. Hyphens and en-dashes are not readily distinguished on swift or casual reading, and the typographical convention of marking ranges with en-dashes rather than hyphens is not so universally followed that you can count on your readers recognizing its significance. Consequently, ##–#-xx-xx is not an easy construction to follow.
I urge you, as a courtesy to your readers, to employ “suspensive hyphenation”—##- to ##-xx-xxx—however unsightly you find it. I think that few of your readers will share your aesthetic objections (I don't), and most will appreciate your consideration (I would).