1024	yotta	Y
1021	zetta	Z
1018	exa	E
1015	peta	P
1012	tera	T
109	giga	G
106	mega	M
103	kilo	k
102	hecto	h
101	deka	da
10-1	deci	d
10-2	centi	c
10-3	milli	m
10-6	micro	m
10-9	nano	n
10-12	pico	p
10-15	femto	f
10-18	atto	a
10-21	zepto	z
10-24	yocto	y

Notice

All of the prefix names start with small letters.

Abbreviations for Powers of 10⁶ and greater are abbreviated with capital letters.

Powers greater than or equal to 10^6 end in "a". mega meter is Mm.

Powers 10^-6 or less end in an "o," A nano meter is nm.

For the largest and smallest divisions divide the power by 3 the resulting number will remind you of the name of the prefix.

10^-24 take 24 divide by 3 = -8 think octo remember yocto, yotta

and in the opposite direction

exa remember hexa or 6 multiply by 3 = 18 so 10¹⁸

Take the Metric Prefix Quiz

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Scientific Explorations with Paul Doherty

© 1999

6 May 99