8: Understanding Big Numbers

Last updated
Save as PDF

Page ID: 25249

\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

Understanding large numbers is one of the most troubling deficits in the mind of the average adult. Science, not to mention economics, uses large numbers with great regularity, but almost no one in the public eye makes an effort to help the average citizen really understand what they mean.

The late astronomer Carl Sagan popularized the phrase “Billions and billions!” in his science series Cosmos in the 1980’s. Although Dr. Sagan said this with great excitement and a very melodious voice – he really failed to help us understand what the difference is between million, billion, and trillion. If our children are to understand science – and national finances! – we must help them gain a more fundamental understanding of large and small numbers.

8.1: Million, Billion, Trillion- Big Numbers and Money
Most people don’t understand how much money we are talking about have no fundamental grasp of large numbers to help them understand the ideas being debated on their behalf. This activity seeks to correct that deficit by giving students a physical model for the concepts of thousand, million, billion, and trillion – without too much tedious counting!
8.2: The Thousand-Meter Solar System
We learned in our last activity that big numbers can be a bit deceptive, but if I tell you that Earth is 100 million miles from the Sun, Saturn is a billion miles away, and Pluto is four billion miles out, after doing Activity #21, you probably have a better idea of what that means.