two-to-the-N

An amount much larger than N but smaller than infinity.

"I have 2-to-the-N things to do before I can go out for lunch"

means you probably won't show up.

Numbers of the form two-to-the-N are very important in

computing because they represent the value of bit N of a

binary number (counting from 0) and the number of things you

can count with an N bit number.

[Jargon File]

(1994-12-06)