gistfile1.rb

VAGARIES = {4 => "thousand", 7 => "million", 10 => "billion", 13 => "trillion"}
def self.vagarise(num)
  num = num.to_s
  vaguest = num
 
  for vagary in VAGARIES.keys().sort { |x,y| x <=> y }
    if num.length >= vagary
      unit = num[0..2].to_f / (10 ** (2 - (num.length - vagary)))
      vaguest = unit.round().to_s + " " + VAGARIES[vagary]
    end
  end

  return vaguest
end