Excerpt from The Practical Model Calculator, for the Engineer, Mechanic, Machinist, Manufacturer of Engine-Work, Naval Architect, Miner, and Millwright Here any figure in the first place, reckoning from right to left, denotes only its own Simple value; but that in the second place denotes ten times its simple value; and that in the third place a hundred times its simple value; and so on; the value of any figure, in each successive place, being always ten times its former value. Thus, in the number 1796, the 6 in the first place denotes only six units, or simply six; 9 in the second place signifies nine tens, or ninety; 7 in the third place, seven hundred; and the 1 in the fourth place, one thousand; so that the whole number is read thus one thousand seven hundred and ninety-six. AS to the cipher 0, it stands for nothing of itself, but being joined on the right-hand side to other figures, it increases their value in the same tenfold proportion: thus, 5 signifies only five; but 50 denotes 5 tens, or fifty; and 500 is five hundred; and so on. For the more easily reading Of large numbers, they are divided into periods and half-periods, each half-period consisting Of three figures; the name of the first period being units; of the second, millions; Of the third, millions Of millions, or bi-millions, contracted to billions; Of the fourth, millions Of millions of millions, or tri millions, contracted to trillions; and so on. Also, the first part of any period is so many units of it, and the latter part so many thousands. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.