A BILLION (A MILLION times a MILLION ?)

Well, it is not known by many people that there is a big difference in the definition of large numbers such as BILLION, TRILLION, etc. between our country (USA) and other countries of the World,

In other countries (U.K, Spain, Latin-America among others), a BILLION is a MILLION one million times. Then a TRILLION is a Billion one million times, and a QUADRILLION is a TRILLION one million times... etc. etc. In USA, however, a BILLION is a MILLION one thousand times. Then a TRILLION is a BILLION one thousand times, and a QUADRILLION is a TRILLION one thousand times, etc. In this country we use 1000 as the multiplier, while in other countries 1,000,000 is the multiplier.

This BIG DISCREPANCY can create a lot of confusion. The scheme used by other countries makes more sense. (1 million is the multiplier). By using one million as the multiplier, it makes the numbers easier to be defined. For example, 1 BILLION in England is the equivalent of 1 TRILLION in the USA. The number 1,000,000,000 should be called one thousand million or a milliard, instead of one billion. By foreign standards, the next prefix is used (bi, tri, quad, etc.) every 6 concatenated zeros that are added, instead of every 3 zeros.

See Table below for clarification:

As you can see from above table, it's much easier to follow the foreign scheme, because every 6 zeros (1 million), a different prefix is used, instead of every 3 zeros (1 thousand).

Perhaps, that's why we have billionaires (ha,ha,ha,ha)... To be a billionaire by the foreign scheme, he or she needs to have one million times one million dollars. (That would be considered a trillionaire by our standards.)

I think we should adopt the foreign standard, since it's used worldwide, and it's the one that makes more sense. Besides, if we adopt that standard, our deficit will be reduced from the trillion dollars, to the billions. (ha,ha,ha,ha,ha....) On a more serious note, financial transactions with other international communities can be more meaningful and less confusing, if these large numbers are used. As we are converting into metrics, we should consider also the conversion into this new mathematical standard. This way we will be at the same level with the rest of the World, and it's the right thing to do.

Here below find some Problems or Sections from which you can choose:

If you have any suggestions, comments, please e-mail me at caesar@ProfessorV.com Otherwise, come back soon.