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#21
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MILLIONS and BILLIONS.....
How big is a million? Do you know? and do you really care? And did you know there are two "billions"? The word "millione" was coined in Italy from mille (Latin, "thousand") to mean "great thousand" and this has given us our word "million." Around 1484, N. Chuquet coined the words billion, trillion, . . ., nonillion, which also appeared in print in a 1520 book by Emile de la Roche. These arithmeticians used "illion" after the prefixes b, tr, quadr, quint, sext, sept, oct and non to denote the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th powers of a million. So a billion was (1 million) squared, a trillion was (1 million) cubed and so on. Then around the middle of the 17th century, some other French arithmeticians used the same words instead for the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th powers of a thousand, which was not very logical, because if you're going to use powers of a thousand, then the "bi-(something)" should be 1000 squared and not 1000 cubed! Although condemned by the greatest lexicographers as "erroneous" (Littre) and "an entire perversion of the original nomenclature of Chuquet and de la Roche" (Murray), this newer usage is now standard in the USA, and its use is spreading with the increasing use of computers (an industry dominated by the US). The older logical system survives in Britain and is still standard in continental countries. Nothing stands still. The symbol for a million in Ancient Egypt was a pictogram of a man holding up his hands in surprise; and before this century who needed anything bigger than a million? Numbers and corporations get bigger, and inflation needs larger numbers to express what may well be smaller values... Here are some of the number-prefixes recommended by the "Conference Generale des Poids et Mesures" in 1991: unit x N unit/N the number N deca (da) deci 10 hecto (h) centi 100 kilo (k) milli 1,000 mega (M) micro 1,000,000 giga (G) nano 10 (to the power of) 9 tera (T) pico 10 (to the power of) 12 peta (P) femto 10 (to the power of) 15 exe (E) atto 10 (to the power of) 18 zetta (Z) zepto 10 (to the power of) 21 yotta (Y) yocto 10 (to the power of) 24 Is there a formula for the "-illions"? It depends on which system you're using, British or American. The n'th "illion" is 106n (British) or 103n+3 (American). Here's a table of English words for some of the powers of ten. name power: UK power: US ten 1 1 hundred 2 2 thousand 3 3 myriad 4 4 lac or lakh* 5 5 million 6 6 crore* 7 7 milliard 9 - billion 12 9 trillion 18 12 quadrillion 24 15 decillion 60 33 vigintillion 120 63 centillion 600 303 * adopted by the British in India. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Not many people realise there are two systems. The number names are not well-known, and rarely taught in schools; probably few teachers know the difference, not having been taught the names themselves. I think we should stick to the British series as being more logical in construction. The prefix "bi" means "two"; it is illogical to call 109 a billion when 9 is not divisible by two! A quadrillion, where "quad" means "four" is equally peculiar when rated as 1015, when 15 does not divide by 4... I could go on, but will not labour the point. Now, to get back on topic, if I only had a crore of Scinde Dawks. 8*) Blair -----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =----- http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! -----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =----- |
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#23
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From: TC Organization: Newsfeeds.com http://www.newsfeeds.com 100,000+ UNCENSORED Newsgroups. Newsgroups: rec.collecting.stamps.discuss Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2003 11:39:25 -0400 Subject: Meaning of "mlrd" On Tue, 16 Sep 2003 04:57:04 +0000 (UTC), (Jon Bell) wrote: In article 9uQ8b.441878$uu5.78689@sccrnsc04, Jay T. Carrigan wrote: The 1946 inflation in Hungary can top that. The highest denomination postage stamp was 5 million adopengos (where 1 adopengo = 2 times 10 to the 21st power), or (hope I get this right) 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 pengos. At the APS Stampshow in Columbus, Ohio last month I saw an exhibit of the Hungarian hyperinflation stamps. It featured a cover bearing a single copy of that 5 million ap stamp. I took a picture of it and am looking at it right now in another window. The annotation reads: "THE LARGEST DENOMINATION DEFINITIVE STAMP EVER ISSUED LAST DAY OF HYPERINFLATION With 'Single' usage only two covers are recorded. [cover] Stamp in use only 6 days. (July 26-31, 1946.) Paid rate 4,800,000 adopengo with overpayment 200,000 ap. Translated from adopengo to pengo 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 Posted on the last day of inflation July 31, 1946. Registered letter to Austria. U.S. Army censor." ================================================== == Jon: Would it be possible to post a copy of your scan, somewhere on the web? Thanks. Blair If John will e-mail it to me, I'll upload it to my website. Bob |
#24
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I think that now I understand where is the problem with all these math's --
it is with our different sources of knowledge. In my Michel Europa Katalog Ost 1998/99, after the No. 942, it is written : "adopengö = Steuer-Pengö = 1 Billiarde Pengö" (sorry for those who don't see the German oe character) That's why I have calculated with 1 Adopengo = 10**12 (ten at the power of 12) pengos! Actually, correctly it is 10**15, but this isn't so important, because the big difference against 2 x 10**21 still remains. If two newer versions of catalogues give another conversion, and the same one, then hopefully this is correct. Apparently, the science of adopengös has progressed during the last 4-5 years, and it is much more complicated than the conversion between the Euro$$ and the Fennec Chips. Yet another philatelic mystery was finally solved thanks to our RCSD! Thanks for the interesting discussion. Victor Manta --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Philatelic Webmasters Organization: http://pwmo.org Art on Stamps: http://values.ch Romania Shown by Its Stamps: http://marci-postale.com Communism on Stamps: http://www.values.ch/Communism/ Spanish Africa: http://www.values.ch/sna-site/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Jay T. Carrigan" wrote in message news:WLu9b.464861$YN5.313253@sccrnsc01... Michel (after no. 942): "adopengo = Steuer-Pengo = 2 Trilliarden (2x10^21) Pengo" Magyar Posta- es Illetekbelyeg Katalogus (before no.979): "1 adopengo = 2 x 10^21 pengo (ketezer trillio pengo)" So to express 1 adopengo in pengo, write 2 followed by 21 zeros. To express 5 million adopengo in pengo, write 1 followed by 28 zeros, i.e. 5x(10^6) x 2x(10^21) = 10x(10^27) = 10^28. Jay Carrigan change domain to mchsi www.jaypex.com In article , says... "Jay T. Carrigan" wrote in message news:i799b.444873$YN5.300505@sccrnsc01... snip Jay Carrigan P.S. to Victor Manta - You somehow changed my "10 to the 21st power" into 10^12. 10^21 is correct. It wasn't somehow, but by the elementary calculation, already presented earlier: "I suppose that you speak about the Sc. 784 (Michel 942). Its value seems to be 5 Millions Adopengos. Because 1 Adopengo = 10**12 (ten at the power of 12) pengos, then 5 Millions Adopengos = 5 * (10**6) * (10**12) = 5 * 10**18 pengos = = 5,000,000,000,000,000,000 pengos " Could you please tell me what is wrong with this calculation, or, alternatively, how do you came to your estimation of 10**21? TIA. BTW, I had the impression that you weren't sure about your own result ("(hope I get this right") and, for this reason, I made the calculation. Anyway, I don't see how can you get the 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 pengos of something that starts with a "5" and not with a "10". I mean by this the value of the stamp, that is certainly 5 (!) Millions Adopengos - as long as we speak about the same Hungary Scott 784 (Michel 942). Just to mention that your final estimation: 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 seems to be 10**28 and not 10**21. Victor Manta |
#25
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From: "Victor Manta"
Newsgroups: rec.collecting.stamps.discuss Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2003 21:06:34 +0200 Subject: Meaning of "mlrd" Apparently, the science of adopengös has progressed during the last 4-5 years, and it is much more complicated than the conversion between the Euro$$ and the Fennec Chips. This has not been a very fascinating thread, but it has led me to a new and unnecessary lack of misunderstanding of international currency and inflationary stamp issues, from which I hope to profit, or not. I have not read every word, but I have read all of some words, although most of the posts have nothing at all to do with the situation in Muncie, Indiana. Or, or that matter, in Trondheim. Depending on your own view of the Universe. Nevertheless, I might someday have an opportunity to buy a large holding of rare, unused, once-licked-but-never-used SNA #16xxxviii (that's the variety with the smelly brown gum with embedded dark chunks of suspicious matter). The dealer may or may not price the stamps at 10^28^12 adopengös, but might or might not accept Fennec Chips. I am having trouble figuring out tomorrow's conversion rate in Canadian dollars. In addition, I am quite certain. Who can help me? And why? Or not? boB -- Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving wordy evidence of the fact. -- George Elliot -- |
#26
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On Tue, 16 Sep 2003 11:39:22 -0400, TC wrote:
Now, to get back on topic, if I only had a crore of Scinde Dawks. 8*) Unbroken, that is... :^) Tracy Barber |
#27
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"Bob Ingraham" wrote in message ... Nevertheless, I might someday have an opportunity to buy a large holding of rare, unused, once-licked-but-never-used SNA #16xxxviii (that's the variety with the smelly brown gum with embedded dark chunks of suspicious matter). The dealer may or may not price the stamps at 10^28^12 adopengös, but might or might not accept Fennec Chips. I am having trouble figuring out tomorrow's conversion rate in Canadian dollars. In addition, I am quite certain. Who can help me? And why? Or not? boB -- Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving wordy evidence of the fact. -- George Elliot Bob: After much scrutiny, I have determined that the answer can be found in Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky," as the aforementioned dark chunks of suspicious matter are likely either remnants of the Jabberwock or the frumious Bandersnatch. The following verse offers particular insight: One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. (Unfortunately, now that I have figured it out, I am totally at a loss to explain it.) Then again, if the dark chunks have anything to do with Tracy's cats, my whole hypothesis will be worth as much as the inverted Jenny "exact replicas" currently on ebay. Mike |
#28
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On Tue, 16 Sep 2003 17:42:18 -0400, "Doug Spade"
wrote: "Bob Ingraham" wrote in message ... Nevertheless, I might someday have an opportunity to buy a large holding of rare, unused, once-licked-but-never-used SNA #16xxxviii (that's the variety with the smelly brown gum with embedded dark chunks of suspicious matter). The dealer may or may not price the stamps at 10^28^12 adopengös, but might or might not accept Fennec Chips. I am having trouble figuring out tomorrow's conversion rate in Canadian dollars. In addition, I am quite certain. Who can help me? And why? Or not? boB -- Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving wordy evidence of the fact. -- George Elliot Bob: After much scrutiny, I have determined that the answer can be found in Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky," as the aforementioned dark chunks of suspicious matter are likely either remnants of the Jabberwock or the frumious Bandersnatch. The following verse offers particular insight: One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. (Unfortunately, now that I have figured it out, I am totally at a loss to explain it.) Then again, if the dark chunks have anything to do with Tracy's cats, my whole hypothesis will be worth as much as the inverted Jenny "exact replicas" currently on ebay. Ahem. My cats don't have dark chunks. They have light ones. :^P ttphtpthptpthptptthththtt! Tracy Barber |
#29
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In article ,
TC wrote: On Tue, 16 Sep 2003 04:57:04 +0000 (UTC), (Jon Bell) wrote: At the APS Stampshow in Columbus, Ohio last month I saw an exhibit of the Hungarian hyperinflation stamps. It featured a cover bearing a single copy of that 5 million ap stamp. I took a picture of it and am looking at it right now in another window. Would it be possible to post a copy of your scan, somewhere on the web? Here you a http://web.presby.edu/~jtbell/stamps/pengo.jpg Unfortunately this one turned out a bit fuzzy. It's hard to maintain proper focus when you're kneeling in front of an exhibit frame without anything to steady yourself against. Aside to Jay: Thanks for coming up with the exhibitor's name. I can't find my copy of the show program. :-( -- Jon Bell Presbyterian College Dept. of Physics and Computer Science Clinton, South Carolina USA |
#30
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In article ,
Jon Bell wrote: In article , TC wrote: On Tue, 16 Sep 2003 04:57:04 +0000 (UTC), (Jon Bell) wrote: At the APS Stampshow in Columbus, Ohio last month I saw an exhibit of the Hungarian hyperinflation stamps. It featured a cover bearing a single copy of that 5 million ap stamp. I took a picture of it and am looking at it right now in another window. Would it be possible to post a copy of your scan, somewhere on the web? Here you a http://web.presby.edu/~jtbell/stamps/pengo.jpg Unfortunately this one turned out a bit fuzzy. Here's another cover from that exhibit, for which I got a better picture. This one shows the extremes that people sometimes had to go to, in order to pay the postage. I made this image bigger (about 400K) to take advantage of the extra detail. http://web.presby.edu/~jtbell/stamps/pengo2.jpg -- Jon Bell Presbyterian College Dept. of Physics and Computer Science Clinton, South Carolina USA |
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