#3102: Reading a Big Number

[A large number is written along the middle of the panel. Above and below the number there are 10 labels, (5 above and 5 below), and from each label a small curved line points to a part of the number. There is a heading above the top labels:]

Thought process while reading a big number:

[The number is continuing off the edge of the comic to the right, the last digit is missing about a third:]

54,000,000,000,000,000,000,0000,0000,054,000"000,00c2ef46

[The labels are listed below in the reading order as from where the small lines are pointing on to the number, so both those above and below the number, not first all those above. Text in the brackets indicate where on the number the line is pointing:]

[To the first two numbers before the first comma, label above the number:]

54! Great! I know that number. Solid start.

[To the first zero after the first comma, label below the number:]

Oh, a comma and some zeros. Cool. Must be at least 54 thousand.

[To the second comma, label above the number:]

A second comma! I wonder if we're talking population or money.

[To the third comma, label below the number:]

Yikes! If this is money, it's a lot of money.

[To the fifth comma, label above the number:]

Why am I reading this? Whatever this number is, I'm not going to be able to visualize it.

[To the sixth comma, label below the number:]

All right, either someone made a unit conversion error or this is one of those incomprehensible astronomy numbers.

[To the middle of a group of four zeros after the seventh comma, label above the number:]

Oh no. Is this a misplaced comma or an extra zero? I guess we'll see if the next group has two zeros or three. If it's two, we can at least hope the digits are right.

[To the middle of a group of four zeros after the eighth comma, label below the number:]

Oh no.

[To the last two numbers of the three digits after the ninth comma, label below the number:]

What is happening.

[To a quotation mark, where the eleventh comma should have been, label above the number:]

Someone messed up real bad.

[To the first number in a group with mixed alphanumeric numbers, where the thirteenth comma should have been, label below the number:]

Someone messed up real bad and I hope it wasn't me.