At school in the UK I learnt that 1 000 000 000 = one thousand million and that 1 000 000 000 000 =
I take it that in the rest of Europe a billion also has twelve zeros. I have two questions then:
1) How did it come about that in the USA the billion is devalued to nine zeros / British thousand million / German Milliarde etc.
2) Why oh why does the Bastion of British culture overseas, the BBC, now also use the American billion in their internet and world services?
Any ideas?



