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Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!kwh
From: kwh@philabs.UUCP (Kevin Haberern)
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Billion and billions
Message-ID: <177@philabs.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 21-Nov-84 15:10:46 EST
Article-I.D.: philabs.177
Posted: Wed Nov 21 15:10:46 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 22-Nov-84 07:20:49 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: Philips Labs, Briarcliff Manor, NY
Lines: 21

It seems as if the word "billion" is used now more then it has ever been
used in the past. Dr. Carl Sagan has made the saying "billions and bilions of
stars" famous. President Regan has us all concerned as to where he will
get the "billions" needed to slow the national debt growth. Johnny Carson
claims that he pays "billions" in alimony. I have even heard " if I've told
you once I've told you a "billion" times, I don't exaggerate." The list of
uses of the word "billion" goes on and on.

The number "one billion" means the number one followed by nine zeroes. This
suits the mathematicians just fine, but I find it difficult to deal with such
a definition when it comes to money, stars, etc.... In my attempts to really
get aquainted with this "billion", I have found that the best way is to relate
it to numbers that I can understand . For example, if I had one billion
dollars worth of quarters, how many Empire State buildings could I fill ( if
any)? Another one could be; if I had a billion Volkswagons and I parked them
end to end, how far would the line of cars go?

So far, I have been unable to come up with a real satisfactory relationship
between the number "billion" and reality. If there is anyone that has an
answer to my problem, I would appreciate a response.