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Rules Q&A » Post: Super Large Numbers

Super Large Numbers

Sept. 24, 2015 08:55:08 PM

Frank Rodriguez
Judge (Uncertified)

USA - Midatlantic

Super Large Numbers

Not sure if this is the correct forum, but when announcing a number of iterations, what happens it player A says, I am doing this G64 times? If you don't know what this is, look up Grahams number. It's so big that we can't deal with it.
Also the words billion and trillion are ambigous. Do we have a default meaning? Some people think that billion is 10^9. Others think it's 10^12.

Sept. 25, 2015 10:26:23 AM

Scott Marshall
Forum Moderator
Judge (Level 4 (Judge Foundry)), Hall of Fame

USA - Southwest

Super Large Numbers

I'm having a hard time understanding the difficulty, here.

You represented that very large number as “G64”. If I want to repeat a loop that gains 1 life each time, my life total can be noted as G64, then G64-2 if I lose 2, etc. So far, no problem.

We aren't going to actually do anything that many times, NAP can still propose a lower number, but even if not, we're just going to have “G64” iterations of something, then an end result. Pestermite and Splinter Twin? OK, you now have G64+1 Pestermites. Attack for … well, a LOT.

Also, one billion is 1,000,000,000; one trillion is 1,000,000,000,000. I don't care what the power of 10 is for either, but my calculator makes me think it's 10^9 for billion, 10^12 for trillion … but again, why would it matter?

d:^D

Sept. 26, 2015 08:40:41 PM

Scott Marshall
Forum Moderator
Judge (Level 4 (Judge Foundry)), Hall of Fame

USA - Southwest

Super Large Numbers

Since my answer was posted, I've received a couple notes from people who confirmed that “billion” does have a different meaning in different cultures. OK, I get that - but it still just doesn't matter.

If you make “10 billion” Pestermites and attack, I'd better be able to cast Fog or something like it, or - is this even possible? - gain more than 10 billion life, instantly.

And if I gained “G64” life with my loop, then you want to create enough Pestermites to kill me with your loop? Then just specify your shortcut numbers as G64+1, or G65, or even “more than you have life points”.

d:^D