How much trillion

Five school buses to be exact. Add another three zeros and we begin to enter into the realm of the age of the universe in years and the national debt in dollars — not pennies.

One trillion pennies would create a mind boggling cube with edges nearly as long as a football field. If only there were that many pennies in existence! Current estimates by the U. Mint place the number of pennies in circulation at around billion.

Others have estimated as many as billion currently circulating. It fits neatly on a standard pallet This is that number we've been hearing so much about. What is a trillion dollars? Well, it's a million million. Who's the richest person you know? Is it your boss, with the flashy car, the shiny shoes and the garlic breath?

Or your friend's parents with the pool and the pony and the endless hushed arguments? How about the richest person on Earth? According to the Forbes rich list of , it's Microsoft founder and thank goodness major philanthropist, Bill Gates. Let's put it in words: eighty-six billion dollars. Most commercial airplanes fly at 30, feet, which is 5.

And now imagine what sum of money could make him look like a pauper. I was unaware that in the government of the UK switched to the American system. A further explanation and related links can be found in More on Millions and Billions. The system described below as the British system is no longer in use in the UK.