NumbersAbout 1 billion
A billion is a thousand million, or a hundred crore. In Hindi it is one arab. Today billion has this meaning in every English-speaking country, though in old British usage it meant a million million.
1 billion in other units
The same amount can be named in thousands, lakhs, millions, crores or billions. Divide by the size of the unit: a thousand has 3 zeros, a lakh 5, a million 6, a crore 7, a billion 9 and a trillion 12.
| Unit | 1 billion is |
|---|---|
| Thousands | 1,000,000 |
| Lakhs | 10,000 |
| Millions | 1,000 |
| Crores | 100 |
| Billions | 1 |
| Trillions | 0.001 |
Where the commas go
In the Indian system the first comma comes after three digits from the right and then after every two: 1,00,00,00,000. In the international system a comma comes after every three digits: 1,000,000,000. The digits are the same in both. The Indian form has 4 commas and the international form has 3.
Place value
1 billion has 10 digits. Its leading digit, 1, is in the hundred crores (arab) place in the Indian system, which the international system calls the billions place. Every place after it holds a zero.
How big is 1 billion?
- In time. 1,00,00,00,000 seconds make 31 years, 259 days, 1 hour, 46 minutes and 40 seconds. Counting aloud from 1 at one number a second, without a break, would take that long to reach 1 billion.
- In minutes. 1,00,00,00,000 minutes are 1,902 years, 214 days, 10 hours and 40 minutes.
- In money. 1,00,00,00,000 paise are ₹10,000,000. 1,00,00,00,000 one-rupee coins are, of course, ₹1,00,00,00,000, written on a cheque as "Rupees One Hundred Crore Only".
- In length and weight. 1,00,00,00,000 metres are 1,000,000 km, and 1,00,00,00,000 grams are 1,000,000 kg, which is 1,000 tonnes.
Ten times more and ten times less
Ten times 1 billion is 10,00,00,00,000 (1,000 crore), which is 10 billion. One tenth of it is 10,00,00,000 (10 crore), which is 100 million. Each step adds or removes one zero.
Mistakes to avoid
- Count the zeros before you write: 1 billion has 9. One zero too many makes it ten times larger.
- Do not mix the comma styles in one number. Write 1,00,00,00,000 or 1,000,000,000.
- In words, the unit stays singular after a number: "1 billion", not "1 billions".
Common questions
How many zeros are there in 1 billion?
1 billion is written 1,00,00,00,000. It has 9 zeros and 10 digits in all.
What is 1 billion in lakhs and crores?
1 billion is 100 crore. In lakhs it is 10,000 lakh, in crores 100 crore and in millions 1,000 million.
How do you write 1 billion in words?
In the Indian system: one hundred crore. In the international system: one billion. In Hindi: एक अरब.