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xkcd #3102: Reading a Big Number (xkcd.com)

submitted 1 week ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[desperately] Maybe this is from some country where they use commas as decimal points, and also as digit separators after the decimal, and also use random other characters for decoration???

https://explainxkcd.com/3102/

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[-] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I'll be honest: It's complete insanity to use commas within a number. If you need laughably high precision, use spaces for readability. If you need a lot of zeros, use power notation.

There is no excuse for putting commas in a number. I rest my case.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago

Depending on handwriting or font, commas may be more visible than spaces.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago

Hard disagree. I work a lot with numbers, both hand-written and typed. I've yet to come across a situation where spaces are not sufficiently clear for readability. Using spaces for separation has never been an issue with letters, why would it be an issue with numbers?

[-] [email protected] 5 points 6 days ago

the problem with spaces is that it leaves it ambigous whether it's one or multiple separate numbers, whereas a non-space separator (i think apostrophe is just obviously the best) makes it clear: 123'000'398

this post was submitted on 13 Jun 2025

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