I tell my students to number the carbons literally as I did this time. Doing so helps prevent careless errors with the positions of the groups and the number of carbons in the main chain.
Also, it is sometimes necessary to redraw the structure to make it easier to tell what's connected to what. A condensed formula written as follows is correct, but confusing:
CH3CH(CH3)CH(CH3)CH2C(CH2CH3)2CH2CH2C(CH3)3
Here it is again, drawn more sensibly:
CH3 CH2CH3 CH3
| | |
CH3–CH–CH–CH2–C–CH2–CH2–C–CH3
| | |
CH3 CH2CH3 CH3
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Now it is much easier to name. 
Steve
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