The name ''googol,'' for a 1 followed by a hundred zeroes, i.e. 10<sup>100</sup>, was popularized by a 1940 popular book on mathematics, Kasner and Newman's classic ''Mathematics and the Imagination.'' It was invented by Kasner's nine-year-old nephew. It and Kasner's own ''googolplex'' (a 1 followed by googol of zeroes) have entered the language, but are only used figuratively. The word ''googol'' was the inspiration for the name of the search service ''Google.'' | The name ''googol,'' for a 1 followed by a hundred zeroes, i.e. 10<sup>100</sup>, was popularized by a 1940 popular book on mathematics, Kasner and Newman's classic ''Mathematics and the Imagination.'' It was invented by Kasner's nine-year-old nephew. It and Kasner's own ''googolplex'' (a 1 followed by googol of zeroes) have entered the language, but are only used figuratively. The word ''googol'' was the inspiration for the name of the search service ''Google.'' |