Ballpark — July 31, 2026

Answers to that day's 5 daily estimation questions.

Active languages in the world today

7,000 languages

About half are endangered.

Percentage of US adults with a college degree

~50%

Includes both associate and bachelor's degrees.

Words in a typical 300-page novel

90,000 words

Standard estimate of 300 words per page.

Pianos in New York City

20,000 pianos

A classic "Fermi problem" estimation.

Years the Berlin Wall stood

28 years

1961 to 1989.