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  "path": "/post/2022/08/long-scale-is-better-than-short-scale",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-04T07:47:19.781Z",
  "site": "https://blog.dandart.co.uk",
  "tags": [
    "common usage of numbers"
  ],
  "textContent": "Hi!\n\nIt's been a bit since I've posted anything quite as substantial, so here we go!\n\nI was brought up with what we were led to believe was the \"British/French\" system of numbers, known as \"long scale\", which many countries still use, as opposed to the \"American/German\" version, which apparently Britain now uses, also known as \"short scale\".\n\nThe difference? The powers of ten:\n\n10^n | 1000^n | Short scale | Million^n | Long scale, -ard | Long scale, thousand\n---|---|---|---|---|---\n3 | 1 | Thousand | 0.5 | Thousand | Thousand\n6 | 2 | Million | 1 | Million | Million\n9 | 3 | Billion | 1.5 | Milliard | Thousand million\n12 | 4 | Trillion | 2 | Billion | Billion\n15 | 5 | Quadrillion | 2.5 | Billiard | Thousand billion\n18 | 6 | Quintillion | 3 | Trillion | Trillion\n21 | 7 | Sextillion | 3.5 | Trilliard | Thousand trillion\n24 | 8 | Septillion | 4 | Quadrillion | Quadrillion\n27 | 9 | Octillion | 4.5 | Quadrilliard | Thousand quadrillion\n30 | 10 | Nonillion | 5 | Quintillion | Quintillion\n33 | 11 | Decillion | 5.5 | Quintilliard | Thousand quintillion\n36 | 12 | Undecillion | 6 | Sextillion | Sextillion\n39 | 13 | Dodecillion | 6.5 | Sextilliard | Thousand sextillion\n42 | 14 | Tredecillion | 7 | Septillion | Septillion\n45 | 15 | Quattuordecillion | 7.5 | Septilliard | Thousand septillion\n48 | 16 | Quindecillion | 8 | Octillion | Octillion\n51 | 17 | Sexdecillion | 8.5 | Octilliard | Thousand octillion\n54 | 18 | Septendecillion | 9 | Nonillion | Nonillion\n57 | 19 | Octodecillion | 9.5 | Nonilliard | Thousand nonillion\n60 | 20 | Novemdecillion | 10 | Decillion | Decillion\n\n...etc.\n\nThe details of this table is probably my best backup as to why I prefer long scale to short scale.\n\nAs you can see, the long scale directly comes from the Latin of the power of a million, but short scale comes from what seems to be a hack: \"a thousand times the power of a thousand\"? \"One less than the power of a thousand\"?\n\nIf you're intent on using a thousands-based system, I have suggested a \"power of a thousand\" name below,with the added benefit that it divides directly into the long scale without having to add such a \"hack factor\"!\n\n10^n | 1000^n | Silly name\n---|---|---\n3 | 1 | Thousand\n6 | 2 | Bisand\n9 | 3 | Trisand\n12 | 4 | Quadsand\n15 | 5 | Quintsand\n18 | 6 | Sexsand\n21 | 7 | Septsand\n24 | 8 | Octsand\n27 | 9 | Nonsand\n30 | 10 | Decsand\n33 | 11 | Undecsand\n36 | 12 | Dodecsand\n39 | 13 | Tredecsand\n42 | 14 | Quattuordecsand\n45 | 15 | Quindecsand\n48 | 16 | Sexdecsand\n51 | 17 | Sepdecsand\n54 | 18 | Octdecsand\n57 | 19 | Nondecsand\n60 | 20 | Viginsand\n\nThis is obviously very tongue-in-cheek, but it's one of the times that a common usage of numbers (which I like very much) has disappointed me.\n\nTill next time.",
  "title": "Long scale is better than short scale",
  "updatedAt": "2026-05-04T07:47:19.781Z"
}