hyphenation - What is the difference between "twenty-four-hour shift" and twenty-four hour shift"?



Just read somewhere about this puzzling puzzle:


What is the difference between:



  1. I'm doing a twenty four-hour shift tonight.

  2. I'm doing a twenty-four hour shift tonight.

  3. I'm doing a twenty-four-hour shift tonight.


I know number 1 is 20 x 4 hours. Number 2 and 3 is the same as far as I know. Is this true?




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