Prefixes and Multiplication Factors Used for Units of Measure

Listed in the table below are some common and some not-so-common prefixes used for units of measure. Some of the more common prefixes used in engineering, chemistry, materials properties etc. are giga, mega, kilo, milli, micro and nano.

Prefix

Symbol

Factor

Yotta

Y

1024

Zeta

Z

1021

Exa

E

1018

Peta

P

1015

Tera

T

1012

Giga

G

109

Mega

M

106

Kilo

k

103

Hector

h

102

Deka

da

101

Deci

d

10-1

Centi

c

10-2

Milli

m

10-3

Micro

µ

10-6

Nano

n

10-9

Pico

p

10-12

Femto

f

10-15

Atto

a

10-18

Zepto

z

10-21

Yocto

y

10-24

Example of usage for the base unit of the metre or 1m.
1km (kilometre) is 1x103 m or 1000m.
1cm (centimetre) is 1x10-2 m or 0.01m.
1mm (millimetre) is 1x10-3 m or 0.001m
1 µm (micrometre) is 1x10-6 m or 0.000001m
1nm (nanometre) is 1x10-9 m or 0.000000001m

 

Primary author: AZoM.com

 

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