Categories: GeekMomTechnology

Make Sense of Large Numbers With Dictionary of Numbers

My husband and I are avid readers of the XKCD webcomic, and we occasionally remember to also check the XKCD blog. It’s not frequently updated but when a new post does show up, it’s always a good one. The latest post showcases Dictionary of Numbers, a new tool that helps put large numbers in perspective.

Installed as a Chrome extension, Dictionary of Numbers can scan the websites you visit for large numbers and append the text with something else of a similar quantity. To put Dictionary of Numbers to the test, I googled the perfect candidate for large numbers, “US debt.” I landed on a Wikipedia article about the US national debt, which turned out vastly more entertaining with Dictionary of Numbers turned on!

Related Post
Liked it? Take a second to support GeekMom and GeekDad on Patreon!

This post was last modified on November 24, 2017 10:10 pm

Ariane Coffin

Ariane is a programmer married to another programmer. Together they have two little girls who don't stand a chance against their nerdy lineage.

Share
Published by
Tags: xkcd

Recent Posts

Perfect for Spring, Marimekko Brings Bold Color and Design to Stationery

Bring springtime and color into your home with Marimekko stationery items.

March 9, 2026

The Winter Goddess by Megan Barnard

The fight between winter and the onset of spring is something we know well in…

February 18, 2026

If you are looking for a way to escape this never ending January, a trip…

January 30, 2026

‘Mouse Guard: Dawn of the Black Axe’: Interviewing David Petersen on the Black Axe’s Origin Story

Out today is the newest Mouse Guard book, 'Mouse Guard: Dawn of the Black Axe'—and…

January 20, 2026

The New Rubik’s x Tetris Cube Is a Fun Mashup of ’80s Toys

If you like some extra squares in your cubes, check out the new Rubik's x…

December 22, 2025

Skye Sweetnam, Sumo Cyco, and the Power of Community

Like many others, I jumped directly into my Apple Music Replay this year filled with…

December 17, 2025