Definition:Number-Naming System/Short Scale/Historical Note

Historical Note on Short Scale System

The short scale system of number representation was adopted by the French some time in the $17$th or $18$th century.

In the $19$th century it was also adopted from them by the United States.

Britain at this time continued with the long scale system.

It was not until $1974$ that the United Kingdom officially accepted the short scale system, although use of the long scale system can still be encountered.

The other nations of the world vary in their usage of long scale or short scale.