Decimal prefixes

By adding a decimal unit prefix after a unit, we change the magnitude (power of 10) of the unit/amount.

For example, 1 kilometre (km) is 1000 metres (m), or 10^3 metres.

Prefix	Symbol	Factor
femto	f	10^{-15}
pico	p	10^{-12}
nano	n	10^{-9}
micro	µ	10^{-6}
milli	m	10^{-3}
centi	c	10^{-2}
deci	d	10^{-1}
kilo	k	10^{3}
mega	M	10^{6}
giga	G	10^{9}
tera	T	10^{12}
peta	P	10^{15}

Example conversions

Example: Convert 5 kilometres to metres.

1 kilometre (km) = 10^3 metres (m)
Therefore, 5 km = 5 \times 10^3 m = 5000 m

Example: Convert 2500 milligrams to grams.

1 milligram (mg) = 10^{-3} grams (g)
Therefore, 2500 mg = 2500 \times 10^{-3} g = 2.5 g

Example: Convert 3 megabytes to bytes.

1 megabyte (MB) = 10^{6} bytes (B)
Therefore, 3 MB = 3 \times 10^{6} B = 3,000,000 B

Example: Convert 0.75 gigawatts to watts.

1 gigawatt (GW) = 10^{9} watts (W)
Therefore, 0.75 GW = 0.75 \times 10^{9} W = 750,000,000 W

Example: Convert 120 centimeters to meters.

1 centimeter (cm) = 10^{-2} meters (m)
Therefore, 120 cm = 120 \times 10^{-2} m = 1.2 m

Example: Convert 0.005 terabytes to megabytes.

1 terabyte (TB) = 10^{12} bytes (B)
1 megabyte (MB) = 10^{6} bytes (B)
Therefore, 0.005 TB = 0.005 \times 10^{12} B = 5 \times 10^{9} B = 5000 MB

Example: Convert 732 femtometers to meters

1 femtometer (fm) = 10^{-15} meters (m)
Therefore, 732 fm = 732 \times 10^{-15} m = 7.32 \times 10^{-13} m

flashcards

Question	Answer
What does adding a decimal unit prefix after a unit change?	It changes the magnitude (power of 10) of the unit/amount.
What is the symbol for femto and its factor?	f, 10^{-15}
What is the symbol for pico and its factor?	p, 10^{-12}
What is the symbol for nano and its factor?	n, 10^{-9}
What is the symbol for micro and its factor?	µ, 10^{-6}
What is the symbol for milli and its factor?	m, 10^{-3}
What is the symbol for centi and its factor?	c, 10^{-2}
What is the symbol for deci and its factor?	d, 10^{-1}
What is the symbol for kilo and its factor?	k, 10^{3}
What is the symbol for mega and its factor?	M, 10^{6}
What is the symbol for giga and its factor?	G, 10^{9}
What is the symbol for tera and its factor?	T, 10^{12}
What is the symbol for peta and its factor?	P, 10^{15}
How do you convert 5 kilometres to metres?	1 km = 10^{3} m, so 5 km = 5 \times 10^{3} m = 5000 m
How do you convert 2500 milligrams to grams?	1 mg = 10^{-3} g, so 2500 mg = 2500 \times 10^{-3} g = 2.5 g
How do you convert 3 megabytes to bytes?	1 MB = 10^{6} B, so 3 MB = 3 \times 10^{6} B = 3,000,000 B
How do you convert 0.75 gigawatts to watts?	1 GW = 10^{9} W, so 0.75 GW = 0.75 \times 10^{9} W = 750,000,000 W
How do you convert 120 centimeters to meters?	1 cm = 10^{-2} m, so 120 cm = 120 \times 10^{-2} m = 1.2 m
How do you convert 0.005 terabytes to megabytes?	1 TB = 10^{12} B and 1 MB = 10^{6} B, so 0.005 TB = 0.005 \times 10^{12} B = 5 \times 10^{9} B = 5000 MB
How do you convert 732 femtometers to meters?	1 fm = 10^{-15} m, so 732 fm = 732 \times 10^{-15} m = 7.32 \times 10^{-13} m

Decimal prefixes

Example conversions

Example: Convert 5 kilometres to metres.

Example: Convert 2500 milligrams to grams.

Example: Convert 3 megabytes to bytes.

Example: Convert 0.75 gigawatts to watts.

Example: Convert 120 centimeters to meters.

Example: Convert 0.005 terabytes to megabytes.

Example: Convert 732 femtometers to meters

flashcards

Inlinks

Outlinks