Subject:
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RE: Space Shuttle Costs -- Millions upon millions......
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Tue, 15 Dec 1998 21:05:59 GMT
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Original-From:
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Fauste, Jose L(Z35080) <jfauste@apsc.com+AntiSpam+>
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Viewed:
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1150 times
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Basically, the difference in the numbering conventions between the US
and many other countries (I can only tell for Spain, but it looks like
the UK and France do the same, so I'd venture it's the same in all
Europe) is that the US jumps into the billions after a thousand millions
and into the trillions after a thousand billions, while "the rest of the
world" jumps into the billions after a million millions and into the
trillions after a million billions.
In the US,
1 billion = one thousand millions (10 to the 9th)
1 trillion = one thousand billions (10 to the 12th)
1 quadrillion = one thousand trillions (10 to the 15th)
Spain (and probably rest of Europe):
1 billion = one million millions (10 to the 12th)
1 trillion = one million billions (10 to the 18th)
1 quadrillion = one million trillions (10 to the 24th)
That's the reason why McDonald's can sell billions of hamburgers much
faster in the US than in the rest of the world......
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From: trowton@broadcast.com[SMTP:trowton@broadcast.com]
Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 1998 12:35 PM
To: lego-robotics@crynwr.com
Subject: Fw: Space Shuttle Costs
Would someone please enlighten those of us who clearly do not
understand the
number system that the rest of the world uses, what the
difference is
between 5,000,000,000 and 5 Billion? Or is the US the only
country that
recognises "billion" as a valid number? How about trillion?
I am seriously interested - this is not a thinly veiled jab. I
would really
like to know, so hold the flamethrowers and let the information
flow.
Thanks in advance,
trowt
-----Original Message-----
From: Pete Hardie <pete.hardie@dvsg.sciatl.com>
To: lego-robotics@crynwr.com <lego-robotics@crynwr.com>
Date: Tuesday, December 15, 1998 1:32 PM
Subject: Re: Space Shuttle Costs
Nick Taylor wrote:
>
> Dear Mr. Rawding - - -
> To _most_ speakers of English 'five billion' does _not_
equal
> 5,000,000,000.
Can you point out some statistics that support this - I know
that the
British hold this view, but I wonder about Canadians, Aussies,
Indians,
etc.
> Comments such as yours are what has given
> rise to the "Ugly American" syndrome.
Hey, it's our shuttle.
and, BTW, 'Ugly American' syndrome is much more than simple word
stuff,
or should I ask the British where the 'f' in lieutenant is?
--
Pete Hardie | Goalie, DVSG Dart Team
Scientific Atlanta |
Digital Video Services Group |
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