The website www.IsThatABigNumber.com was born out of frustration. Frustration with the lack of understanding in public life of the magnitude of the numbers we encounter. Well-educated, engaged people still struggle with understanding at an intuitive level, the difference between millions, billions and trillions. To understand today's world, to properly judge governmental and corporate actions, people really should be able to have a feel for the numbers involved in the problems and the solutions.
IsThatABigNumber is a website that aims to contribute to addressing that problem. Supply a number, and it will place that number in context for you. The quiz tests your own sense of number, and the facts pages and the ratio page present numbers in different ways, all of which help to internalise a sense of magnitude, all in an engaging and entertaining way.
It's a drop in the ocean, but we feel, a worthwhile drop.
The feedback we've had has been extremely positive. Many teachers have been in touch, telling us they have used IsThatABigNumber.com in classes; we see users coming onto the website and staying to explore; we see usage from all parts of the world.
With a little self-funded promotion, we now see around 100 visitors a day, many spending long periods on the website, clearly engaging with the content (one vistor called it "addictive"!).
And that is wonderful, but of course there is a cost. Although hosting a website can be done cheaply, it's still not free. And it takes time and effort to maintain and develop (there is so much more that can be done). Besides that, it would be wonderful to be able to fund a more aggressive promotional campaign.
That is why we are launching a sponsorship drive. This is how it works: We are offering 25 subscription slots, each for $1000. Sponsorship will last for a year, and will entitle you to:
We will use the funds raised in this way
Please help us in our efforts. Wouldn't we all rather live in a world where decision-makers really understood the numbers around us?
If you feel this is worthwhile supporting, please contact me: andrewcaelliott+itabn@gmail.com or on Twitter @itabn_andrew
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And if you know someone who might be interested, please share this page and these details.
Thanks for your attention!
"This is a fun and riveting book. Written in an accessible and engaging way, it is unputdownable." Frost Magazine
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Click here for Podcast: Andrew Elliott interviewed for New Books Network.