Numeracy

This seem slightly out of bounds, but the recent uproar over whether the response of the U.S. and other wealthy countries to the tsunami disaster has been sufficiently non-stingy reminds me that most people don't have a good intuitive grasp of the magnitude of large numbers. A good example of such a person is GW Bush, who at his appearance before the press corp in Crawford yesterday repeatedly said, with emphasis on the B, that the U.S. has pledged $35 billion for disaster relief.

Not so oh strong and resolute leader! The correct number is $35 million (much of that, as far as I can tell, in the form of loans).

One billion is one thousand times one million (here in the U.S. - the British have their own, strange ways of speaking). As a comparison, the war in Iraq -- you know, the one where we eliminated all of those Weapons of Mass Destruction (tm) -- has so far cost at least $200 billion. Compared to even $1 billion, $35 million is still pretty close to nothing -- specifically, it is 3.5 percent of $1 billion. It is .035% of $100 billion, and it is .00175% of $200 billion, or .0000175 X $200 billion.

Just to put it in context.