Why is there a conflict with the number '1 billion'?

Question

Is it 'million x million'? Some say it's 'million x thousand'.

Can someone explain it to me please?

By my logic it should be 'million x million'

One, ten, hundred.

Thousand, ten thousands, hundred thousands.

Million, ten millions, hundred millions, thousand millions, ten thousand millions, hundred thousand millions.

Billion.

Answer 1

Billion used to be (in British money) million x million but then those stupid Americans came along with their own ideas and made it thousand x million.......I only know this because I'm doing a maths course towards my degree and it featured in some of the coursework.....confused me too!

Answer 2

In the financial world (which is international) reports often avoid use of billion to prevent confusion. Everyone seems to agree on million and it is safe to say how many millions are involved. A thousand-million is clearer to all than a billion. Still working on my first billion.

Answer 3

In England, and all of the developed world, billion is thousand x million. It's only the yanks who believe otherwise. They can't help it though, they are all the way over the other side of the atlantic. It took a long time to get there and thier brains are probably still tired.
Give them time...

Answer 4

Alot of these answers are right.

In the UK, a billion used to be a million x million i.e. 1 x 10^12

Now, after much haggling by American forces (and cos Tony Blair is soft) it is accepted ad a thousand million or 1 x 10^9

I'm sure its something to do with computer manufacturers, as we are soon going to be heading for the Billion Megs of RAM or something.........Tsk Tsk ;o)

Answer 5

The conflict is cause because in the USA it is a million thousand but in the UK it is a million million.

That is the cause of the conflict.

Answer 6

No, no, no. After millions it's
ten millions
hundred millions
billions
ten billions
hundred billions
trillions

Note that the root name (thousands, millions, billions, trillions) changes after every multiple of 1000.

HTH ☺

Doug

Answer 7

Most part of the world accept one thing, the americans another.
Their ways...
Try to use 10^6 for a million. (1,000,000)
and 10^9 for whatever you want to call it,
and 10^12 for the other.
"Ten exponent 9" is very clear, in whatever language.

Answer 8

whether you like the British way of defining a billion or the American way of defining a billion, the issue is really a question of communication. the name(s) that we choose for any value do not change the value. the goal is really clear communication. the name that we choose is just a convention that we agree upon. if we all agreed, we could call 17 "george". if there is agreement, there is clarity.

Answer 9

if u use the calculater its 1,000,000 x 1,000=
1,000,000,000 the 1 "starts" the billion mark but there are 10 billions ( [10-99],000,000,000) 100 billions ( [100-999],000,000,000). after 1,000 is added on it changes to the next phrase IE..... the trillions come in after "999",000,000,000.

Answer 10

in britain it used to be a million x million.

But as usual its the yanks, so eager to make things seem bigger and better all the time they downgraded it to be a 1000 million, and now we have followed suit