million, billion?

Question

What is million, billion and trillion? How can you pronounce the numbers?

1,000 = a thousand

1,000,000 = a million

1,000,000,000 = a billion

1,000,000,000,000 = a trillion.

But, origin of word 'bi' means two. Then, a billion should be (1 million * 1 million = 1,000,000,000,000) . Likewise, tri mean 3, and a trillion means ( 1 million * 1 million * 1 million = 10^18).

And I read that the English follows the standard. Then, why not Americans? Any logic?

And please write me how to pronounce the belows.

1,762,000,000,000,000

1,234,567,890,000,000,000

Thank you!

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

What is million, billion and trillion? How can you pronounce the numbers?

1,000 = a thousand

1,000,000 = a million

1,000,000,000 = a billion

1,000,000,000,000 = a trillion.

Yes, all the above are correct. But see the following excerpt from Wikipedia.

But, origin of word 'bi' means two. Then, a billion should be (1 million * 1 million = 1,000,000,000,000) . Likewise, tri mean 3, and a trillion means ( 1 million * 1 million * 1 million = 10^18). Maybe, I don't know.

And I read that the English follows the standard. Then, why not Americans? Any logic? As far as I know, it's just an arbitrary difference. Wikipedia suggests that the US billion is now being used in Britain. I have attached an excerpt, but please read the complete article here.

There is also a historical difference between billions, trillions, and so forth. Americans use "billion" to mean one thousand million (1,000,000,000), whereas in the UK, until the latter part of the 20th century, it was used to mean one million million (1,000,000,000,000). It is believed that the change was started by Margaret Thatcher on advice from the Bank of England. The British prime minister, Harold Wilson, in 1974, told the House of Commons that UK government statistics would now use the short scale; followed by the Chancellor, Denis Healey, in 1975, that the treasury would now adopt the US billion version. Although historically such numbers were not often required outside of mathematical and scientific contexts. One thousand million was sometimes described as a "milliard", the definition adopted by most other European languages. However, the "American" version has since been adopted for all published writing, and the word "milliard" is obsolete in English, as are billiard (but not billiards, the game), trilliard and so on. However the term yard, derived from milliard, is still used in the financial markets on both sides of the Atlantic to mean "one thousand million". All major British publications and broadcasters, including the BBC, which long used "thousand million" to avoid ambiguity, now use "billion" to mean thousand million.

Many people have no direct experience with manipulating numbers this large, and many non-American readers may interpret "billion" as 10¹² (even if they are young enough to have been taught otherwise at school); also usage of the "long" billion is standard in some non-English speaking countries. For these reasons, defining the word may be advisable when writing for the general public. See long and short scales for a more detailed discussion of the evolution of these terms in English and other languages.

And please write me how to pronounce the belows.

1,762,000,000,000,000

1,234,567,890,000,000,000

I never have the need to say such numbers aloud. If I had to, I would simply say each digit separately, eg one two three four five six seven eight nine zero zero zero zero zero zero zero zero zero zero.

Best wishes, Clive

Jisu98 · Answer

Thank you!

I should have seached more (including the 'wikedepidea') by myself. Sorry for disturbing you. And, Thank you again.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

You're welcome.

Clive

Bokeh · Answer

Jisu98please write me how to pronounce the belows.

1,762,000,000,000,000

1,234,567,890,000,000,000

If your numbers are that large it is because you are using the wrong scale. For example most people would say 1 lightyear rather than 5,878,625,373,183 miles

Jisu98 · Answer

HO!!  Thank you!

Anonymous · Answer

the first one is pronounced: one quadrillian, seven-hundred sixty two trillion. the second one is pronounced: one quatillian, two-hundred thirty-four quadrillian, five-hundred sixty-seven trillion, eight-hundred ninty billion. hope i could help!

Jordan S.

Anonymous · Answer

In American English it would be:
One thousand seven hundred and sixty two trillion.
and
One thousand two hundred and thirty four trillion, five hundred and sixty seven billion, eight hundred and ninety million.

English from England would probably pronounce things differently. They say things that confuse us Americans sometimes, like for example: 2,002 would be pronounced Two double "o" two, which we don't ever use. The English from England also use "A thousand million" instead of Billion sometimes; or "A million million" instead of a Trillion.

In American Scientific notation it would be written:
1.762 x 10^15
Pronounced: One point seven six two, times ten to the 15th power.

and

1.234 567 89 x 10^18
Pronounced: One point two three four five six seven eight nine times ten to the 18th power.

Anonymous · Answer

Farid ahmad Dear as your question is concern: 1,762,000,000,000,000=One Quadrillion and seven hundred sixty two trillion. 1,234,567,890,000,000,000=One Quintillion two hundred thirty four quadrillion five hundred sixty seven trillion and eight hundred ninty billion. I hope you have got it.

Anonymous · Answer

Writing the numbers separately for it to be clearer:

1,762,000,000,000,000
= One million seven hundred and sixty two thousand billion
= One thousand seven hundred and sixty two trillion (I'd use this)
= One point seven hundred and sixty two quadrillion

1,234,567,890,000,000,000
= One billion two hundred and thirty four million five hundred and sixty seven thousand eight hundred and ninety billion
(too precise to use different expressions as the previous example)

Generally, you use the largest "ending" you have, and "multiply" the initial numbers by it.
Example 1: 72'000'000
You wouldn't say "72 thousand thousand", but "72 million".

Example 2: 3'647'000'000'000
You wouldn't say "3 million 647 thousand million", but "3 thousand 647 billion".

Regards,
Mc837

Anonymous · Answer

one trillion, seven hundred and sixty-two billions.

one thousand two hundred and thirty four quadrillion , five hundred and sixty seven trillion, eight hundred and ninety billions.

million, billion?

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