| Prefix | Symbol | Factor | Power | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large (≥ 1) | ||||
| Yotta | Y | 10²⁴ | +24 | |
| Zetta | Z | 10²¹ | +21 | |
| Exa | E | 10¹⁸ | +18 | |
| Peta | P | 10¹⁵ | +15 | |
| Tera | T | 10¹² | +12 | |
| Giga | G | 10⁹ | +9 | |
| Mega | M | 10⁶ | +6 | |
| Kilo | k | 10³ | +3 | |
| Hecto | h | 10² | +2 | |
| Deca | da | 10¹ | +1 | |
| (base unit) | — | 10⁰ | 0 | |
| Small (< 1) | ||||
| Deci | d | 10⁻¹ | -1 | |
| Centi | c | 10⁻² | -2 | |
| Milli | m | 10⁻³ | -3 | |
| Micro | μ | 10⁻⁶ | -6 | |
| Nano | n | 10⁻⁹ | -9 | |
| Pico | p | 10⁻¹² | -12 | |
| Femto | f | 10⁻¹⁵ | -15 | |
| Atto | a | 10⁻¹⁸ | -18 | |
| Zepto | z | 10⁻²¹ | -21 | |
| Yocto | y | 10⁻²⁴ | -24 | |
Metric Prefixes
SI metric prefixes used to denote multiples and fractions of units. From yocto (10⁻²⁴) to yotta (10²⁴), with symbols and real-world examples.
FAQ
Q: What are metric prefixes?
A: Metric prefixes are standardized words/symbols added before a unit to denote a multiple or fraction. For example, "kilo-" means 10³ (1000), so 1 kilometer = 1000 meters.
Q: What is the most commonly used prefix?
A: In everyday life: kilo- (10³, as in kilogram), centi- (10⁻², as in centimeter), milli- (10⁻³, as in milliliter), and mega- (10⁶, as in megabyte) are the most common.
Q: How do binary prefixes differ?
A: In computing, binary prefixes like kibi- (2¹⁰ = 1024) vs kilo- (10³ = 1000) differ slightly. The IEC introduced binary prefixes (kibi, mebi, gibi…) to avoid ambiguity.