How much is a trillion dollars? February 6, 2009
Posted by Bob in Finance, Politics.Tags: bailout, Economic Stimulus Package
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With the economic stimulus package estimated to cost around one trillion dollars, there have been numerous (and some humorous) ways to put that number in perspective. Here’s one that I particularly liked.
First – the math:
- 1 (one)
- 10 (ten)
- 100 (one hundred)
- 1,000 (one thousand)
- 10,000 (ten thousand)
- 100,000 (hundred thousand)
- 1,000,000 (one million)
- 10,000,000 (ten million)
- 100,000,000 (hundred million)
- 1,000,000,000 (one billion)
- 10,000,000,000 (ten billion)
- 100,000,000,000 (hundred billion)
- 1,000,000,000,000 (one trillion)
Now the analogy:
- If someone spent one million dollars per day each and every day since Jesus was born, it would take another 731 years (beyond today) before one trillion dollars was spent.
- $1,000,000,000,000 / $1,000,000 per day = one million days
- one million days / 365 = 2740 years
- 2740 – 2009 = 731 (years remaining)
Thanks Bob. This is a good illustration. NOW I AM MAD AGAIN.
Anybody got change for a nickel?