17Very Large and Very Small Numbers
The main purpose of this book is to put you at ease with numbers. So far, we've concentrated on relatively small numbers—fractions, decimals, hundreds of dollars, thousands of dollars.
Well, how do you feel about very large numbers? Billions? Trillions? Quadrillions? Quintillions? Can you divide four hundred thirty-two quadrillion by one hundred and eight trillion? Did you get four thousand? If you did, then you definitely know your big numbers and can move all the way around the board, pass GO, and collect $200. But hang around for the parts of this chapter that will talk about convenient ways to write and work with very large and very small numbers.
We'll be using ideas from Chapter 16, “Powers and Roots,” ...
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