What is one billion ?

[kiwitt]

I was reading this article

Dengate-Thrush said that, eventually, the internet will be largely IPv6, bringing a profound change. Where the old 32-bit protocol is limited to about 4 billion addresses, 128-bit IPv6 can have 340 billion billion billion billion.

When I was growing up 40+ years ago ...

1,000,000,000,000 was one billion now ...
1,000,000,000 is called one billion, when it really should be called 1,000 million

So when some says above billion billion billion billion is it

1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
or the much lesser
1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.

It seems we should go back to the English standard as opposed to the American one as it seems more logical.

i.e. like a thousand thousand = million, a million million = a billion, a billion billion = trillion

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

Since the majority of the population doesn't think about numbers that large, the short-scale will stay for now.

 

[CaptainF]

Eh?

A billion=1,000,000,000

9 zeroes or no dice.

 

[Lillefix]

Long scale for me. Billon=1,000,000,000,000

 

[robbiecon]

Well a billion is a thousand million, so it's 1 and nine zeros.

 

[cardgame]

Eh?

A billion=1,000,000,000

9 zeroes or no dice.

Yeah, what kind of question is this?

 

[Cato the Elder]

In English, 2nd option. In Dutch, 1st option.

 

[Lillefix]

Yeah, what kind of question is this?

I think that question comes up every other year on this board.

 

[Xanikk999]

So why did the British adopt the American version then?

To me it makes perfect sense. 1000 Million = 1 billion and 1000 billion = 1 trillion. I don't see why the U.S and Great Britain used to do things differently in this regard. I don't know the history behind it though it could be interesting to learn.

 

[kiwitt]

Yeah, what kind of question is this?

Being a mostly American forum ... this answer is expected ... but it is still wrong logically. 1,000,000,000 = 1 billion, is because it has now been considered "common" usage, but that does not mean it is right.

Follow the logic ...

one thousand = 1,000
one thousand thousand = 1,000 x 1,000 = 1,000,000 = one million
one million million = 1,000,000 x 1,000,000 = 1,000,000,000,000 = one billion

one thousand million = 1,000 x 1,000,000 = 1,000,000,000 one "American" billion

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

I really need to see a scientific journal article that uses the long-scale.

 

[Lillefix]

I really need to see a scientific journal article that uses the long-scale.

I can almost assure you that all articles in German, French, Italian or Spanish uses long scale, while none in English. It just has to do with language.

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

Considering most of the prestigious scientific journals are English-language...

 

[KMRblue1027]

Being a mostly American forum ... this answer is expected ... but it is still wrong logically. 1,000,000,000 = 1 billion, is because it has now been considered "common" usage, but that does not mean it is right.

Follow the logic ...

one thousand = 1,000
one thousand thousand = 1,000 x 1,000 = 1,000,000 = one million
one million million = 1,000,000 x 1,000,000 = 1,000,000,000,000 = one billion

one thousand million = 1,000 x 1,000,000 = 1,000,000,000 one "American" billion

The American version has plenty of logic. Every 3 0's = new number type. It's simpler and much easier to determine which type is which.

1,000 = One thousand
1,000,000 = 1 mil
1,000,000,000 = 1 bil
1,000,000,000,000 = 1 trillion
1,000,000,000,000,000 = 1 quadrillion?

 

[dido]

Considering most of the prestigious scientific journals are English-language...

I'd guess most scientific journals use scientific notation instead of words

 

[Bill3000]

Being a mostly American forum ... this answer is expected ... but it is still wrong logically. 1,000,000,000 = 1 billion, is because it has now been considered "common" usage, but that does not mean it is right.

No, the anglophone countries have all standardized to the short scale. That includes the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. It's not merely common usage, it's institutionalized. The only thing this thread tells us is that you're old and wrong.

 

[Lillefix]

Considering most of the prestigious scientific journals are English-language...

I don't see your point. This is a language issue.

 

[Truronian]

It would be much nicer if the English system was common... it has a more consistent structure.

One

Eleven

One hundred and eleven

One thousand, one hundred and eleven

Eleven thousand, one hundred and eleven

One hundred and eleven thousand, one hundred and eleven

One million, one hundred and eleven thousand, one hundred and eleven

Eleven million, one hundred and eleven thousand, one hundred and eleven

One hundred and eleven million, one hundred and eleven thousand, one hundred and eleven

One thousand one hundred and eleven million, one hundred and eleven thousand, one hundred and eleven

Eleven thousand one hundred and eleven million, one hundred and eleven thousand, one hundred and eleven

One hundred and eleven thousand one hundred and eleven million, one hundred and eleven thousand, one hundred and eleven

One billion, one hundred and eleven thousand one hundred and eleven million, one hundred and eleven thousand, one hundred and eleven

Unfortunately the US system is a lot easier to use and follow.

 

[GhostWriter16]

Quadrillion is correct. And Quintillion after that.

And if you want to continue the list

 

[Bill3000]

It would be much nicer if the English system was common... it has a more consistent structure.

...

Unfortunately the US system is a lot easier to use and follow.

Well, there you go.