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Prefix Symbols and Names

Prefix Symbols and Names

Owned by Shira Nagel
Last updated: Feb 20, 2016

Prefixes are added to unit names to produce multiple and sub-multiples of the original unit. All multiples are integer powers of ten, and above a hundred or below a hundredth all are integer powers of a thousand.
The tables below show the correct format for prefix symbols and names:

Multiples

Prefix name

 

deca

hecto

kilo

mega

giga

tera

peta

exa

zetta

yotta

Prefix symbol

 

da

h

k

M

G

T

P

E

Z

Y

Factor

100

101

102

103

106

109

1012

1015

1018

1021

1024

Fractions

Prefix name

 

deci

centi

milli

micro

nano

pico

femto

atto

zepto

yocto

Prefix symbol

 

d

c

m

μ (Greek lowercase letter mu)

n

p

f

a

z

y

Factor

100

10−1

10−2

10−3

10−6

10−9

10−12

10−15

10−18

10−21

10−24


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