I'd like to know how many pieces of hay are in a haystack of a given
size, to quantify the metaphor of "finding a needle in a haystack". 
Specifically, if Google has indexed 3 billion pages, and I am seeking
a single page, how big is the haystack in which I'm searching for a
needle?

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Request for Question Clarification by pinkfreud-ga on 14 Feb 2004 16:57 PST

I'm not sure I understand the question. Are you asking what the
dimensions of a haystack would be if it contained 3 billion stalks of
hay?

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Clarification of Question by espertus-ga on 14 Feb 2004 18:14 PST

Yes, that is what I mean.  How big is a haystack with 3 billion stalks of hay?

Thank you.

Sounds like a perfect question for Rob Cockerham, the indefatigable empiricist.

http://www.cockeyed.com/inside/howmuchinside.html

Apteryx