TLDR: The largest quantity is 16 digits lengthy

Ask an astronomer and we journey in aeons into the universe and past.

Ask a microbiologist and we slip into mystical quarks and preons, the constructing blocks of all the pieces.

Ask my 5 12 months outdated and also you get 643.

This can be a query everybody can guess, however whenever you get to the nitty-gritty is surprisingly private.

Infinity

I’m discounting it, like imaginary numbers, infinity is an alchemy, a logo, quite than a practicable digit. It might by no means seem on a tape measure.

Listed here are the parameters:

1. Each particular person digit should rely:

It’s superior that the universe is estimated at 93 billion mild years from finish to finish, however it could possibly be 93.4 or 93.5 and each can be effective. To get throughout the hair’s breadth of element the most important quantity requires would want an software for it to make sense. Travelling from one aspect of the universe to the opposite can be nice, however…

“You’re actually not going to love it”

— Hitchhikers Information to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams

Even when we felt the necessity, this a is quantity we all know fluctuates. The scale of the universe is beneficial, however the variety of 93 billion mild years is to showcase pure awe — a poster youngster for what huge means.

At its finest it’s merely a reference level for numbers which can be far smaller, quite than one thing value figuring out to billions of digits of accuracy.

2. The quantity will need to have a sensible, real-world, software:

There are teams devoted to figuring out lengthy numbers for the sake of the quantity itself. As of writing Pi is understood to 62.8 trillion digits.