how much is a billion and how is Smudge's eye now?

[janoel]

I say a billion is a million million but my son says it is
a thousand million. Who is correct.
If Smudge is reading this what was the diagnosis of
your eye? Hope you are OK now.

[Whickerman]

you're both right - depending on where you are. US billion is a thousand million. European/UK billion is a million million.

You'll only need to worry about it if you've that much in the bank...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_and_short_sc ales

[cartoonist]

You are both right. In the US a billion is a thousand million. In the UK it is a million million.

[JonnyBoy12]

A billion is how much I am worth in pounds in a year (perhaps a bit more)!

[flobadob]

Hold on a minute. If Bill Gates is worth $45billion, does that mean he has got $46,000,000,000,000? No way.

[janoel]

Thanks everyone.