Originally Posted by Disinfo Agent

I don't understand why they mention the metric system. There is no connection between the adoption of metric units and the definition of billion, as far as I know.

- Anglo-Saxon billion = second group of three decimals after the thousand. In other words 1,000 is a thousand, therefore 1,000,000,000 is a billion. Has 2 x 3 + 3 = 9 decimals.

- Continental billion = a million squared (1,000,000 x 1,000,000 = 1,000,000,000,000); has 2 x 6 = 12 decimals.