How many zeros does zillion have

A googolplex is the number 10googol, or equivalently, Written out in ordinary decimal notation, it is 1 followed by zeroes, that is, a 1 followed by a googol zeroes. A googolplex is a 1 followed by a googol of zeros. There is no such thing. We can always add one to any number and get one slightly larger.

Informally we can think of this as infinity plus one. The concept of infinity in mathematics allows for different types of infinity. The smallest version of infinity is aleph 0 or aleph zero which is equal to the sum of all the integers. Aleph 1 is 2 to the power of aleph 0. There is no mathematical concept of the largest infinite number.

Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. Press ESC to cancel. Skip to content Home How much is a zillion? Ben Davis May 31, Apply market research to generate audience insights.

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Chemistry Expert. Helmenstine holds a Ph. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels. Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter. Updated December 09, Name Number of Zeros Groups of 3 Zeros Ten 1 10 Hundred 2 Thousand 3 1 1, Ten thousand 4 10, Hundred thousand 5 , Million 6 2 1,, Billion 9 3 1,,, Trillion 12 4 1,,,, Quadrillion 15 5 Quintillion 18 6 Sextillion 21 7 Septillion 24 8 Octillion 27 9 Nonillion 30 10 Decillion 33 11 Undecillion 36 12 Duodecillion 39 13 Tredecillion 42 14 Quatttuor-decillion 45 15 Quindecillion 48 16 Sexdecillion 51 17 Septen-decillion 54 18 Octodecillion 57 19 Novemdecillion 60 20 Vigintillion 63 21 Centillion Featured Video.

View Article Sources. Cite this Article Format. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph. Counting and Calculating in German from 0 to the Trillions. Should the U. Census Count Undocumented Immigrants? Counting: The Cardinal Numbers of Spanish. Interacting Galaxies Have Interesting Results. I'd say a gazillion must have at least a zillion zeroes or around about! I myself have attempted to provide a definition for a zillion, but none has really stuck.

Of coarse we want some kind of rational for a definition, but a zillion offers none. The best I think we can offer is that these numbers should be bounded by certain ranges. Certainly a "zillion" means a very large number, but for those who actually know anything about large numbers, there is always a more infathomable infathomable further down the road.

Can we put an upper bound on how large a zillion is? One would have to consider the context in which zillion is usually used and decide based on this. Most people seem to mean a ridiculously big number well beyond a trillion. I think it's safe to say most people are refering to some astronomical sized number, probably somewhere between a vigintillion and a centillion.

Another more radical use might be to describe a number with so many zeroes that a person could never write it out. In that case a zillion would need at least a billion zeroes or so.

Consider this: which do you percieve as bigger. A zillion or a googolplex? If you here a googolplex as larger than we could say that provides an upperbound. If not then a zillion has to be at least larger than a googolplex. I think placing a zillion in that fuzzy space between centillion and a googolplex is a good place to start. A Bazillion can then have at least a zillion zeroes, and a Gazillion at least a bazillion zeroes.

Or perhaps it's best to simply think of a zillion as a generic member of the -illion series, preferably a largish one. Maybe a Bazillion transcends all the currently named -illions and a Gazillion transcends any that could reasonably be named.

Having a label for a "range" is actually somewhat useful for the subject of large numbers, and a zillion, bazillion, and gazillion, are certainly suited to this end. However they really originate as humor or indefinitely large. It was never meant to be taken seriously. As long as we know that "zillion" isn't officially recognized, and that it means "indefinitely large" we can speak about it.

We can define a number and name it a "zillion", but the concept of a zillion will remain. In my book I see no problem with people defining and naming any large numbers they like, as long as they make it clear that it is their own coinage.