Nov172009
How many zeroes in a billion billion?
Filed under General by david brooks at 12:21 pm
Depends: Is that a long-scale billion or a short-scale billion? (Confused - check the wikipedia article on “Long and short scales“) I ask because of this wonderful newspaper correction, spotted via Regret the Error.
LAST week’s NIE resource on Science questions answered by CSIRO incorrectly stated that there are 12 zeros in one billion billion. There are 24 zeros if a million times a million is doubled. Many now regard a billion as a thousand times a million. This would be 18 zeros when doubled.
Add New Comment
Viewing 3 Comments
Thanks. Your comment is awaiting approval by a moderator.
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
Add New Comment
Trackbacks