Preparation : Just what you need to know ! In the metric system described here, the multiples and submultiples of the base for various types of measure are formed by applying the established prefixes given below.
| Prefix Name: | deca | hecto | kilo | myria | mega | giga | tera | peta | exa | | Prefix Symbol: | da | h | k | my | M | G | T | P | E | | Multiplying Factor: | 101 | 102 | 103 | 104 | 106 | 109 | 1012 | 1015 | 1018 |
| Prefix Name: | deci | centi | milli | micro | nano | pico | femto | atto | | Prefix Symbol: | d | c | m | µ | n | p | f | a | | Multiplying Factor: | 10-1 | 10-2 | 10-3 | 10-6 | 10-9 | 10-12 | 10-15 | 10-18 |
The important prefixes are shown in bold above and are used in the quiz below.
The prefixes are the same whichever unit is used. Abbreviations do not have a period.
Example: Kilometer is abbreviated as km and kilogram is abbreviated as kg
Only one multiplying prefix is applied at one time to a given unit.
Example: One thousandth of a milligram (mg) is referred to as a microgram (µg) and not as a millimilligram. |
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