# Re: One in a Trillion

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-one-in-a-trillion/532652>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 16, 2010, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-one-in-a-trillion/532652 "2010-03-16T14:58:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![hughh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/49beb7/32.png) [@hughh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hughh)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-one-in-a-trillion/532652/1 "2010-03-16T14:58:47Z")

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Dear Ed,

The article, [“One in a trillion”](http://chicago.straightdope.com/sdc2010trillion.php), shows two graphs, one of hard disk drive capacity and the other of the national debt. In inviting comparison of the two (“Need I say more?”), you commit the grave mathematical sin of intimating that graphs on logarithmic and arithmetic scales can be visually compared by the mathematically unsophisticated. I’m sure you know this is NOT TRUE! I invite you to clarify and amend.

–  
Hugh D. Hyatt  
Willow Grove, PA

~ Afflictions are the good man’s shining times. — Edward Young ~

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**Author:** ![Ed\_Zotti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/fbc32d/32.png) [@Ed\_Zotti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ed_Zotti)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-one-in-a-trillion/532652/2 "2010-03-16T21:07:12Z")

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This is a dagger to the heart of my analysis.