Names for large numbers

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Naming very large numbers is relatively easy. There are two main ways of naming a number: scientific notation and naming by grouping. For example, the number 500 000 000 000 000 000 000 can be called 5 x 10²⁰ in scientific notation since there are 20 zeros behind the 5. If the number is named by grouping, it is five hundred quintillion (American) or 500 trillion (European)

When large numbers have many different decimals in them, such as 642 500 000 000, naming them with scientific notation is about the same, but with one difference. Still counting the number of numbers after the first number (in this case, after the 6 there are 11 numbers) you need to include the ones that are not zero in the formula, but after a decimal point. So 642 500 000 000 will be 6.425 x 10¹¹. When naming by grouping, each group of three numbers is listed with the name of the group. With the same number, it would be said to be 642 billion, 500 million (US) or 642 milliard, 500 million (Eur).

Contents 1 Some Examples 2 Forms of numbering 3 Names for large numbers 4 Trivia 5 See Also 6 Other websites

[change] Some Examples

Number	Scientific notation	Grouping
600 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000	6 x 1026	600 septillion (quadrillion)
765 476 250 000 000	7.6547625 x 1014	765 trillion, 476 billion, 250 million
145 000	1.45 x 105	145 thousand

[change] Forms of numbering

The American way or "Short form" for naming large numbers is different to the European way or "Long form" of naming large numbers. This is mainly because of American finance. Short form numbering is based on thousands and Long form is based on millions. Because of this, in short form a billion is one thousand millions (10⁹) while in Long form it is one million millions (10¹²). The change in the United States to short form numbering happened in 1974. Today, Short form is most commonly used in most English speaking countries.

[change] Names for large numbers

Scientific notation	American Name	European Name
100	One	One
101	Ten	Ten
102	Hundred	Hundred
103	Thousand	Thousand
104	Ten Thousand	Ten Thousand
105	Hundred Thousand	Hundred Thousand
106	Million	Million
109	Billion	Milliard
1012	Trillion	Billion
1015	Quadrillion	Billiard
1018	Quintillion	Trillion
1021	Sextillion	Trilliard
1024	Septillion	Quadrillion
1027	Octillion	Quadrilliard
1030	Nonillion	Quintillion
1033	Decillion	Quintilliard
1036	Undecillion	Sextillion
1039	Duodecillion	Sextilliard
1042	Tredecillion	Septillion
1045	Quattuordecillion	Septilliard
1048	Quindecillion	Octillion
1051	Sexdecillion	Octilliard
1054	Septdecillion	Nonillion
1057	Octodecillion	Nonilliard
1060	Novemdecillion	Decillion

There is also the number Googol, which is a 1 with one hundred zeros behind it, and the number Googolplex, which is a 1 with a Googol of zeros behind it.

[change] Trivia

• There are 1 vigintillion cubic inches in our galaxy.
• There are 1 undecillion living things on Earth.
• There are 200 tredecillion atoms in the atmosphere.
• The Earth's weight is 13 septillion in pounds.
• In a glass of water, there are 24 septillion atoms.
• The volume of our galaxy is 1 sedecillion cubic miles
• There are a quintillion pounds of the Earth's atmosphere.
• The average distance between galaxies is 15 quintillion miles.
• A quintillion kernels of wheat have been produced on the planet.
• There are 89 quindecillion atoms of the Earth.
• There are 142 quattuordecillion atoms on the surface of the Earth.
• A slice through the center of the universe is 90 quattuordecillion square miles.
• There are a quadrillion grains of sand on a beach.
• There are a quadrillion ants in the world.
• There are 632 quadrillion seconds in 20 billion years
• There are 1 octodecillion atoms in the sun.
• There are 15 octillion inches from one end of the universe to the other.
• The sun weighs 4 nonillion pounds.
• The sun is 86 nonillion cubic inches in volume.
• The area of our galaxy is 273 decillion square miles.

[change] See Also

• Names for Small Numbers
• Googol
• Googolplex

[change] Other websites

• Names for large and small numbers
• Names for large numbers
• Large Numbers article by Robert Munafo
• Full list of large number names list sorted by 10ⁿ and by word length
• Big numbers for students, which can name any numbers put into it (up to centillion)