Metric Prefixes

Metric Prefixes |  |  |
| The metric or SI system uses the power of tens by setting up a number of prefixes as shown below. The prefix is placed in front of the unit, changing its size. Some prefixes are hardly ever used, while others (shown in blue) are commonly used. The nano (shown in purple) is only recently becoming popular as a lot of research is ongoing in the area of nanotechnology. |
SI Prefixes
Prefix | Symbol | Factor | Meaning
yotta | Y | 10 24 | 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 one septillion
zeta | Z | 10 21 | 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 one sextillion
exa | E | 10 18 | 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 one quintillion
peta | P | 10 15 | 1,000,000,000,000,000 one quadrillion
tera | T | 10 12 | 1,000,000,000,000 one trillion
giga | G | 10 9 | 1,000,000,000 one billion
mega | M | 10 6 | 1,000,000 one million
kilo | k | 10 3 | 1,000 one thousand
hecto | h | 10 2 | 100 one hundred
deka | da | 10 1 | 10 ten
deci | d | 10 -1 | 0.1 one tenth
centi | c | 10 -2 | 0.01 one hundredth
milli | m | 10 -3 | 0.001 one thousandth
micro | µ | 10 -6 | 0.000001 one millionth
nano | n | 10 -9 | 0.000000001 one billionth
pico | p | 10 -12 | 0.000000000001 one trillionth
femto | f | 10 -15 | 0.000000000000001 one quadrillionth
atto | a | 10 -18 | 0.000000000000000001 one quintillionth
zepto | z | 10 -21 | 0.000000000000000000001 one sextillionth
yocto | y | 10 -24 | 0.000000000000000000000001 one septillionth

Metric Prefix Word Search |  |
| See if you can find the 20 metric prefixes in this word search. This should help familiarize youself with these metric prefixes.
| Word Search

Metric Prefix Matching Game (requires Flash player)
| A quick matching check up based on the blue and purple prefixes in the table above.
| Go To Matching Game
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