What is a Billion?

CollegeInvest's Direct Portfolio College Savings Plan exceeded $1 billion in assets under management in January.  The $1 billion in total assets represents over 87,000 accounts in the plan, nearly 83 percent of whom live in Colorado.

This $1 billion milestone got us thinking, what is a billion?  Check out the fun video and facts below to draw some comparisons as to what is a billion.

Watch seven students answer a few questions about the meaning of "a billion dollars." It's bound to bring a smile to your face!

1 Billion dollars in $1 bills would wrap around the earth at the equator 3.9 times.

A billion seconds ago it was 1978.

1 Billion dollars in $50 bills stacked in a single pile would be over a mile high.

If you spend $1 per second, it would take you over 37 years to spend $1 billion.

If you spend $1 a minute, it would tak you over 1,902 years to spend $1 billion.

1 Billion dollars in $100 bills would nearly cover 16 football fields.

The University of Colorado at Boulder's main campus is 600 acres.  $1 billion in $1 bills would cover the CU Campus over 3.5 times.

Colorado State University - Pueblo's campus is 275 acres.  $1 billion in $1 bills would cover the CSU-Pueblo Campus over 7.6 times.

1 Billion dollar bills would fill nearly 20 school busses (without seats).

1 Billion $1 bills would weigh over 1,102 tons.

 

It would take approximately 714,286 cows to equal 1 billion pounds.

See if your friends know more about $1 billion that you.  Tweet about it and follow CollegeInvest on Twitter at twitter.com/CollegeInvestCO