Thank you for the question, Alex. You asked if it is acceptable to use the numeric passage indicator with the phrases “step 1,” “step 2,” etc. written next to the spatial addition problem.
Yes, it is acceptable for words to appear within a numeric passage, but they must appear uncontracted as grade 1 mode is set by the numeric passage indicator. The numbers following each step label do not need a numeric indicator before them because they cannot be misread as the letters a-j. To be read as those letters, they would need a grade 1 symbol indicator before them.