- Not to be confused with gaxillion.
A gazillion normally refers to an indefinitely large quantity, like a zillion.[1] However, some people have given definite values to this name.
Calvin and Hobbes definition[]
This definition comes from the following Calvin and Hobbes comic strip:
Calvin: Psst! Susie, what's 7 + 6?
Susie: Three hundred billion gazillion.
Calvin: Oh, thanks for the big help!
Susie: That's a three, followed by 85 zeroes.
Calvin: Ah! I knew that.
Since 300 billion gazillion is equal to \(3 \cdot 10^{85}\), a gazillion would then be equal to \(10^{74}\), or one hundred tresvigintillion.[2][3] If you use the long scale, a gazillion is equal to \(10^{71}\).
Cookiefonster calls 300 billion gazillion = \(3 \cdot 10^{85}\) the "Calvin and Hobbes number".[3]
Greg Clarke's definition[]
Greg Clarke claimed "gazzen" means "earthly edge" in Latin and defined Gazillion (capitalized as a proper noun) as 1028,819⋅3 = 1086,457, where 28,819 is the number of Ancient Greek miles in one full revolution around the globe. Note that this does not correspond to either the short or long scale.[4] He formerly used 28,810 instead of 28,819, giving a value of 1086,430.[5]
Approximations[]
For the Calvin and Hobbes definition (short scale):
| Notation | Lower bound | Upper bound |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific notation | \(1\times10^{74}\) | |
| Arrow notation | \(10\uparrow74\) | |
| Steinhaus-Moser Notation | 44[3] | 45[3] |
| Copy notation | 9[74] | 1[75] |
| Taro's multivariable Ackermann function | A(3,242) | A(3,243) |
| Pound-Star Notation | #*(7,16,5,1)*16 | #*(2,3,2,0,2,4)*8 |
| BEAF | {10,74} | |
| Hyper-E notation | E74 | |
| Bashicu matrix system | (0)(0)(0)(0)[42169] | (0)(0)(0)(0)[42170] |
| Hyperfactorial array notation | 55! | 56! |
| Fast-growing hierarchy | \(f_2(237)\) | \(f_2(238)\) |
| Hardy hierarchy | \(H_{\omega^2}(237)\) | \(H_{\omega^2}(238)\) |
| Slow-growing hierarchy | \(g_{\omega^{\omega7+4}}(10)\) | |
Sources[]
See also[]
Hypermathematics: bigoogol · trigoogol · quadrigoogol · coogol(plex)
Hyperlicious: wakoogol(plex) · wakamoogol(plex) · wonkapoogol(plex) · ultron
Numbers with a W: woogol · wiggol · waggol · weegol · wigol · woggol · wagol · bwoogol · bwiggol · bwaggol · bweegol · bwigol · bwoggol · bwagol
Primes: Gooprol(plex) · Booprol · Trooprol · Quadrooprol
Other: Bentley's Number · Pigol · Egol · Phigol · gongol(plex) · kaboodol(plex) · gaz(illion)