The Power of a Deck of Cards- 52!

You will never look at a deck of cards the same way after reading this.

How many ways can a deck of cards be arranged?

Any mathematician will tell you that it’s a simple calculation - the answer is 52!* (52*51*50*……3*2*1)

But how big is this number really?

52 Factorial has found a creative way to visualize this number. I have simplified it for better readability.

Set a timer so that it would take 52! (52 Factorial) seconds for it to reach 0.

Choose any spot on the equator. You have to walk around the Earth along the equator. But there’s a the catch — you can only take one step every billion years.

(Did I leave the stove on?)

After you complete one journey around the equator and reach the point where you started, remove one drop of water from the Pacific Ocean.

(No peeking at the timer!)

Now repeat the whole process — walk around the Earth at one billion years per step, removing one drop of water from the Pacific Ocean every time you circle the globe. Continue until the ocean is empty.

(How long has it been?!)

After you have emptied the Pacific Ocean, take one sheet of paper and place it flat on the ground.

Fill the ocean back up and start the entire process all over again, adding a sheet of paper to the stack every time you empty the ocean.

Do this until the stack of paper reaches the Sun.

(You’re almost there!)

Once the stack reaches the Sun take it down and do it all over again.

One thousand times more.

(Is there a point to this?)

Surely the timer must have reached 0 by now?

Nope.

You’re only done with one-third of the time!

Now you can imagine how big 52! really is.

MIND = BLOWN

*52! = 52 * 51 * 50 … 3 * 2 * 1

=80658175170943878571660636856403766975289505440883277824000000000000

This is paraphrased from 52 Factorial. Do check out the website for a detailed explanation and another cool example.