Understanding Decillion
A decillion is an enormous number that is often hard to wrap our heads around. In the short scale, which is used in the United States and most English-speaking countries, one decillion is equal to 1 followed by 33 zeros. In numeric form, it looks like this:
- 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
If one were to compare a decillion with more commonly used large numbers, it would be interesting to note that:
- 1 billion = 1,000,000,000 (9 zeros)
- 1 trillion = 1,000,000,000,000 (12 zeros)
- 1 quadrillion = 1,000,000,000,000,000 (15 zeros)
- 1 quintillion = 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 (18 zeros)
- 1 sextillion = 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (21 zeros)
- 1 septillion = 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (24 zeros)
- 1 octillion = 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (27 zeros)
- 1 nonillion = 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (30 zeros)
- 1 decillion = 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (33 zeros)
Visualizing a Decillion Dollars
Now, imagine having a decillion dollars in your bank account. To put this in perspective, let’s consider some real-life examples and statistics.
The wealthiest individuals in the world—such as Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos—are each worth a fraction of a trillion dollars. For instance, as of late 2021, Elon Musk’s net worth hovered around $250 billion. Even combined, the top 10 richest people in the world wouldn’t amount to a decillion dollars.
What Could You Do with a Decillion Dollars?
With such an astronomical amount, the possibilities would be virtually endless. Here are some amazing ways you could potentially spend or use a decillion dollars:
- Eradicate global poverty: It is estimated that approximately $175 billion would be enough to eradicate extreme poverty worldwide.
- Fund space exploration: NASA’s budget is approximately $24 billion per year. With a decillion dollars, the agency could operate for over 41 million years.
- Invest in renewable energy: Transitioning the world to renewable energy sources could cost around $100 trillion globally—still manageable within a decillion budget!
- Cover world debt: The total national debt of the United States is about $31 trillion, which is just a drop in the bucket when compared to a decillion.
Case Studies of Large Amounts
While we may not have a real-life case study of someone ever having a decillion dollars, we can look at the concepts of wealth, wealth distribution, and extreme resource allocation in the context of larger amounts.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, with its endowment, is one of the largest charitable foundations globally, operating with around $50 billion. This money is primarily focused on health, education, and poverty alleviation. While they’re making significant strides, the need is infinitely greater when discussing a decillion.
A Fun Comparison: What is Heavier Than a Decillion?
Interesting to note, a single decillion pennies, which is a form of currency equivalent to a decillion dollars, would weigh nearly 22,000 times more than the Earth!
- A penny weighs about 2.5 grams.
- A decillion pennies would weigh approximately:
2.5 grams x 1 decillion = 2.5 x 10² grams, or roughly the weight of 22,000 Earths!
Conclusion
A decillion dollars is a mind-blowing sum that illustrates the limits of wealth and resources in the world. While it’s certainly a fun exercise to consider what one could do with such astronomical wealth, it also serves as a reminder of the disparities that exist in the financial landscape today. Understanding and addressing these inequalities can lead to a better world for all.
