What's a Billion?

[Deleted]

Just watched an interesting video explaining that a billion may be 1,000,000,000 or 1,000,000,000,000 depending on where you come from.



So what's a billion to you?

[semaphore]

Does any country still use the long scale?

EDIT: apparently lots still do

[Sayl]

10⁹

It was always one thousand million for me.

[Garnier Fructis]

I seriously hope those 4 people were joking, because the still shot on that embedded video even says that 1,000,000,000,000 is equal to 1 trillion and not 1 billion.

[Deleted]

We use the long system in Denmark and yes it gets very confusing when you read english articles using the term billion when those numbers are astronumical high in our minds, but you get use to ignoring any english number system (gallon/pounds/foot etc.) when you think of how smart the (liter/gram/meter) system works in comparison.

So a billion is 1.000.000.000.000 and 1.000.000.000 is a milliard (note how we also use dots and not comma's to seperate the numbers, comma's here indicate decimals).

[anveena]

Obviously 1,000,000,000 is

[Yousend]

I like the part about Canada. I'm french Canadian and I always thought "Billion" was the english word for 1,000,000 and "Milliard" was the french word for it. I found this video really interesting. That's cool.

[Jackmoves]

1 000 000 000 000

[Feel The Power]

when you think of how smart the (liter/gram/meter) system works in comparison.

If the metric system is so smart, then why don't I know it?? Suckle on that teet for a fortnight. The answer is you CAN'T.

[Sharissa]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_scale

[nixcookies]

For me it's: 1,000,000,000

[Ianus]

it's 1x10⁹ or 1 000 000 000

[Kavoo]

1.000.000.000 in brazil

[Lora]

... math is the one thing that is not up for debate. 1,000,000,000 is a billion.

[Deleted]

If the metric system is so smart, then why don't I know it?? Suckle on that teet for a fortnight. The answer is you CAN'T.

The correct is.....Why do you not know both systems?

[Kavoo]

but you get use to ignoring any english number system (gallon/pounds/foot etc.) when you think of how smart the (liter/gram/meter) system works in comparison.

same here

[Larath]

Damn now that was a intressting video, I've always wondered this but haven't really given it much thought kinda just adjusted when talking to english and none-english people.

[insen]

from germany so I use dots ofc
1.000.000 equals million, Million(ger.)
1.000.000.000 equals milliard (brit.), billion(amer.), Milliarde(ger.)
1.000.000.000.000 equals billion(brit.), trillion(amer.), Billion(ger.)
1.000.000.000.000.000 equals billiard(brit.), quadrillion(amer.), Billiarde(ger.)
etc. pp.
always wondered why Americans are ahead of the rest of the world

PS: didn't watch the movie

edit: last line was obviously wrong, also watched the movie

[Zelk]

1,000,000,000,000
16 year-old Brit here, so idk about the age of the person, maybe the age of their maths teacher is more appropriate.

[BicycleMafioso]

I saw this movie a few hours ago.
One million of millions obviously.

I'm Swedish, for the record.
I'm allowing everyone their own opinions, but if they disagree, they are historically incorrect.
Thing is though, that things evolve, so just because it was once incorrect doesn't mean it will stay that way.

However, I will go batshit over anyone claiming I'm the one being wrong about it (irl that is).

---------- Post added 2012-05-25 at 04:40 AM ----------

... math is the one thing that is not up for debate. 1,000,000,000 is a billion.

If we're talking maths, you are indeed incorrect. Language, however, you are correct.