Names of large numbers

There are two main ways of using words to write large numbers. The American way or "short form" for naming large numbers is different from 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).^[source?]

The change in the United Kingdom (UK) to short-form numbering happened in 1974. Today, Short form is most commonly used in most English speaking countries.^[source?]

History

Prehistory

Numbers were first used by prehistoric tribes. Those prehistoric tribes invented numbers as a way to measure and calculate items, something which required counting. More advanced prehistoric tribes later invented mathematics and they started adding, subtracting, and multiplying as a way to measure and calculate more advanced and complex items and certain fields.

Bronze Age

Large numbers were first used by ancient civilizations such as Sumer, Ancient Egypt, Akkad, Babylonia, the Hittite Empire, Rome, and Greece, for measuring and calculating items. As civilizations grew more complex, numbers did as well.^[source?]

Renaissance

The words billion and trillion, and millions were first written to describe extremely large numbers in 1475 by Jehan Adam. In 1484, Nicolas Chuquet used the words million, billion, trillion, and even further to write and describe much larger numbers.^[1]^{[better source needed]} Adam and Chuquet both used long scale. For example, Adam's billion (Chuquet's (bi)llion) was used to write 10¹².^[2]^{[better source needed]} While these were the first writings that used these words, Adam and Chuquet were probably not the creators of the words. The word million comes from the Old Italian millione.^[1]^[3] These words were also probably commonly used before the books were written.^[1]

Names for large numbers

Scientific notation	American name (Short Form)	Old European name (Long Form)	Old-British name	SI Symbol	Metric prefix
10^-30	Nonillionth	Quintillionth	Quintillionth	Q	Quecto
10^-27	Octillionth	Quadrilliardth	Thousand quadrillionth	R	Ronto-
10^-24	Septillionth	Quadrillionth	Quadrillionth	Y	Yocto-
10^-21	Sextillionth	Trilliardth	Thousand trillionth	Z	Zepto-
10^-18	Quintillionth	Trillionth	Trillionth	A	Atto-
10^-15	Quadrillionth	Billiardth	Thousand billionth	F	Femto-
10^-12	Trillionth	Billionth	Billionth	P	Pico-
10^-9	Billionth	Milliardth	Thousand millionth	N	Nano-
10^-6	Millionth	Millionth	Millionth	μ	Micro-
10^-3	Thousandth	Thousandth	Thousandth	M	Milli-
10⁰	One	One	One	-	-
10¹	Ten	Ten	Ten	Da	Deca-
10²	Hundred	Hundred	Hundred	H	Hecto-
10³	Thousand	Thousand	Thousand	K	Kilo-
10⁶	Million	Million	Million	M	Mega-
10⁹	Billion	Milliard	Thousand million	G	Giga-
10¹²	Trillion	Billion	Billion	T	Tera-
10¹⁵	Quadrillion	Billiard	Thousand billion	P	Peta-
10¹⁸	Quintillion	Trillion	Trillion	E	Exa-
10²¹	Sextillion	Trilliard	Thousand trillion	Z	Zetta-
10²⁴	Septillion	Quadrillion	Quadrillion	Y	Yotta-
10²⁷	Octillion	Quadrilliard	Thousand quadrillion	R	Ronna-
10³⁰	Nonillion	Quintillion	Quintillion	Q	Quetta-
10³³	Decillion	Quintilliard	Thousand quintillion	V	Venta-
10³⁶	Undecillion	Sextillion	Sextillion	O	Occa-
10³⁹	Duodecillion	Sextilliard	Thousand sextillion	U	Ura-
10⁴²	Tredecillion	Septillion	Septillion	W	Watta-
10⁴⁵	Quattuordecillion	Septilliard	Thousand septillion	N	Nacka-
10⁴⁸	Quindecillion	Octillion	Octillion	L	Lanta-
10⁵¹	Sexdecillion	Octilliard	Thousand octillion	X	Xita-
10⁵⁴	Septendecillion	Nonillion	Nonillion	B	Betta-
10⁵⁷	Octodecillion	Nonilliard	Thousand nonillion	F	Fenta-
10⁶⁰	Novemdecillion	Decillion	Decillion	S	Senda-
10⁶³	Vigintillion	Decilliard	Thousand decillion	J	Jotta-
10⁶⁶	Unvigintillion	Undecillion	Undecillion	A	Aeca-
10⁶⁹	Duovigintillion	Undecilliard	Thousand undecillion	R	Retta-
10⁷²	Trevigintillion	Duodecillion	Duodecillion	I	Inta-
10⁷⁵	Quattuorvigintillion	Duodecilliard	Thousand duodecillion	D	Detta-
10⁷⁸	Quinvigintillion	Tredecillion	Tredecillion	C	Centa-
10⁸¹	Sexvigintillion	Tredecilliard	Thousand tredecillion	H	Hetta-
10⁸⁴	Septenvigintillion	Quattuordecillion	Quattuordecillion	-	-
10⁸⁷	Octovigintillion	Quattuordecilliard	Thousand quattuordecillion	-	-
10⁹⁰	Novemvigintillion	Quindecillion	Quindecillion	-	-
10⁹³	Trigintillion	Quindecilliard	Thousand quindecillion	-	-
10⁹⁶	Untrigintillion	Sexdecillion	Sexdecillion	-	-
10⁹⁹	Duotrigintillion	Sexdecilliard	Thousand sexdecillion	-	-
10¹⁰⁰	Googol	Googol	Googol	-	-
10¹⁰²	Tretrigintillion	Septendecillion	Septendecillion	-	-
10¹⁰⁵	Quattuortrigintillion	Septendecilliard	Thousand septendecillion	-	-
10¹⁰⁸	Quintrigintillion	Octodecillion	Octodecillion	-	-
10¹¹¹	Sextrigintillion	Octodecilliard	Thousand octodecillion	-	-
10¹¹⁴	Septentrigintillion	Novemdecillion	Novemdecillion	-	-
10¹¹⁷	Octotrigintillion	Novemdecilliard	Thousand novemdecillion	-	-
10¹²⁰	Novemtrigintillion	Vigintillion	Vigintillion	-	-
10¹²³	Quadragintillion	Vigintilliard	Thousand vigintillion	-	-
10¹²⁶	Unquadragintillion	Unvigintillion	Unvigintillion	-	-
10¹²⁹	Duoquadragintillion	Unvigintilliard	Thousand unvigintillion	-	-
10¹³²	Trequadragintillion	Duovigintillion	Duovigintillion	-	-
10¹³⁵	Quattuorquadragintillion	Duovigintilliard	Thousand duovigintillion	-	-
10¹³⁸	Quinquadragintillion	Trevigintillion	Trevigintillion	-	-
10¹⁴¹	Sexquadragintillion	Trevigintilliard	Thousand trevigintillion	-	-
10¹⁴⁴	Septenquadragintillion	Quattuorvigintillion	Quattuorvigintillion	-	-
10¹⁴⁷	Octoquadragintillion	Quattuorvigintilliard	Thousand quattuorvigintillion	-	-
10¹⁵⁰	Novemquadragintillion	Quinvigintillion	Quinvigintillion	-	-
10¹⁵³	Quinquagintillion	Quinvigintilliard	Thousand Quinvigintillion	-	-
10¹⁵⁶	Unquinquagintillion	Sexvigintillion	Sexvigintillion	-	-
10¹⁵⁹	Duoquinquagintillion	Sexvigintilliard	Thousand sexvigintillion	-	-
10¹⁶²	Trequinquagintillion	Septenvigintillion	Septenvigintillion	-	-
10¹⁶⁵	Quattuorquinquagintillion	Septenvigintilliard	Thousand septenvigintillion	-	-
10¹⁶⁸	Quinquinquagintillion	Octovigintillion	Octovigintillion	-	-
10¹⁷¹	Sexquinquagintillion	Octovigintilliard	Thousand octovigintillion	-	-
10¹⁷⁴	Septenquinquagintillion	Novemvigintillion	Novemvigintillion	-	-
10¹⁷⁷	Octoquinquagintillion	Novemvigintilliard	Thousand novemvigintillion	-	-
10¹⁸⁰	Novemquinquagintillion	Trigintillion	Trigintillion	-	-
10¹⁸³	Sexagintillion	Trigintilliard	Thousand Trigintillion	-	-
10¹⁸⁶	Unsexagintillion	Untrigintillion	Untrigintillion	-	-
10¹⁸⁹	Duosexagintillion	Untrigintilliard	Thousand Untrigintillion	-	-
10¹⁹²	Tresexagintillion	Duotrigintillion	Duotrigintillion	-	-
10¹⁹⁵	Quattuorsexagintillion	Duotrigintilliard	Thousand duotrigintillion	-	-
10¹⁹⁸	Quinsexagintillion	Tretrigintillion	Tretrigintillion	-	-
10²⁰¹	Sexsexagintillion	Tretrigintilliard	Thousand Tretrigintillion	-	-
10²⁰⁴	Septensexagintillion	Quattuortrigintillion	Quattuortrigintillion	-	-
10²⁰⁷	Octosexagintillion	Quattuortrigintilliard	Thousand quattuortrigintillion	-	-
10²¹⁰	Novemsexagintillion	Quintrigintillion	Quintrigintillion	-	-
10²¹³	Septuagintillion	Quintrigintilliard	Thousand Quintrigintillion	-	-
10²¹⁶	Unseptuagintillion	Sextrigintillion	Sextrigintillion	-	-
10²¹⁹	Duoseptuagintillion	Sextrigintilliard	Thousand sextrigintillion	-	-
10²²²	Treseptuagintillion	Septentrigintillion	Septentrigintillion	-	-
10²²⁵	Quattuorseptuagintillion	Septentrigintilliard	Thousand septentrigintillion	-	-
10²²⁸	Quinseptuagintillion	Octotrigintillion	Octotrigintillion	-	-
10²³¹	Sexseptuagintillion	Octotrigintilliard	Thousand octotrigintillion	-	-
10²³⁴	Septenseptuagintillion	Novemtrigintillion	Novemtrigintillion	-	-
10²³⁷	Octoseptuagintillion	Novemtrigintilliard	Thousand novemtrigintillion	-	-
10²⁴⁰	Novemseptuagintillion	Quadragintillion	Quadragintillion	-	-
10²⁴³	Octogintillion	Quadragintilliard	Thousand quadragintillion	-	-
10²⁴⁶	Unoctogintillion	Unquadragintillion	Unquadragintillion	-	-
10²⁴⁹	Duooctogintillion	Unquadragintilliard	Thousand unquadragintillion	-	-
10²⁵²	Treoctogintillion	Duoquadragintillion	Duoquadragintillion	-	-
10²⁵⁵	Quattuoroctogintillion	Duoquadragintilliard	Thousand duoquadragintillion	-	-
10²⁵⁸	Quinoctogintillion	Trequadragintillion	Trequadragintillion	-	-
10²⁶¹	Sexoctogintillion	Trequadragintilliard	Thousand trequadragintillion	-	-
10²⁶⁴	Septenoctogintillion	Quattuorquadragintillion	Quattuorquadragintillion	-	-
10²⁶⁷	Octooctogintillion	Quattuorquadragintilliard	Thousand quattuorquadragintillion	-	-
10²⁷⁰	Novemoctogintillion	Quinquadragintillion	Quinquadragintillion	-	-
10²⁷³	Nonagintillion	Quinquadragintilliard	Thousand quinquadragintillion	-	-
10²⁷⁶	Unnonagintillion	Sexquadragintillion	Sexquadragintillion	-	-
10²⁷⁹	Duononagintillion	Sexquadragintilliard	Thousand sexquadragintillion	-	-
10²⁸²	Trenonagintillion	Septenquadragintillion	Septenquadragintillion	-	-
10²⁸⁵	Quattuornonagintillion	Septenquadragintilliard	Thousand septenquadragintillion	-	-
10²⁸⁸	Quinnonagintillion	Octoquadragintillion	Octoquadragintillion	-	-
10²⁹¹	Sexnonagintillion	Octoquadragintilliard	Thousand octoquadragintillion	-	-
10²⁹⁴	Septennonagintillion	Novemquadragintillion	Novemquadragintillion	-	-
10²⁹⁷	Octononagintillion	Novemquadragintilliard	Thousand novemquadragintillion	-	-
10³⁰⁰	Novemnonagintillion	Quinquagintillion	Quinquagintillion	-	-
10³⁰³	Centillion	Quinquagintilliard	Thousand quinquagintillion	-	-
10^10¹⁰⁰	Googolplex	Googolplex	Googolplex
10^{^{10^10³⁴}}	Skewes' Number	Skewes' Number	Skewes' Number
10^{^{10^10¹⁰⁰}}	Googolplexian	Googolplexian	Googolplexian
10^{^{10^10¹²⁶⁴}}	Skewer's Number	Skewer's Number	Skewer's Number
10^{^{10^{10¹⁶⁵⁶}}}	Skewere's Number	Skewere's Number	Skewere's Number
10^{^{10^{10^{10^100}}}}	Googolplexianth	Googoltriplex	Googoltriplex
10↑↑100	Giggol	Giggol	Giggol
10↑↑(10^100) 100	Googolstack	Googolstack	Googolstack
10↑↑↑100	Gaggol
10↑↑↑↑100	Geegol
10↑↑↑↑↑100	Gigol
10{100}100	Boogol
3↑↑...↑↑3	Graham's Number
Rayo(10^100)	Rayo's Number
∞	Infinity
Ω	Absolute Infinity

The number TREE 3 and SSCG 3-5 is so incomprehensibly big it dwarfs every other number compared to it, far surpassing even exponential growth or the number of atoms in the known universe. It originates from a mathematical game about arranging trees (graph structures) under specific rules, where the challenge is to avoid repeating any previously created tree patterns.^[4]

Names Of Large Numbers Media

Page where Chuquet first describes the naming method for "zillions".

Other websites

Pointless Big Numbers
Counting Really,REALLY,REALLY High^{[dead link]}
Naming Large Numbers Archived 2022-08-11 at the Wayback Machine

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 Flegg, Graham (1985). Flegg, Cynthia; Moss, Barbara (eds.). Nicolas Chuquet, Renaissance Mathematician. D. Reidel. p. 29. ISBN 978-90-277-1872-3.
↑ "Large Numbers -- Notes (page 2) at MROB". www.mrob.com. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
↑ "Definition of MILLION". www.merriam-webster.com. 2024-05-26. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
↑ "The Enormity of the Number TREE(3) Is Beyond Comprehension". Popular Mechanics. 2017-10-20. Retrieved 2024-12-09.

[:0-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 Flegg, Graham (1985). Flegg, Cynthia; Moss, Barbara (eds.). Nicolas Chuquet, Renaissance Mathematician. D. Reidel. p. 29. ISBN 978-90-277-1872-3.

[2] "Large Numbers -- Notes (page 2) at MROB". www.mrob.com. Retrieved 2024-05-30.

[3] "Definition of MILLION". www.merriam-webster.com. 2024-05-26. Retrieved 2024-05-30.

[4] "The Enormity of the Number TREE(3) Is Beyond Comprehension". Popular Mechanics. 2017-10-20. Retrieved 2024-12-09.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]