Introduction:
In the metric system of measurement, designations of multiples and sub-divisions of any unit may be deduced by combining with the name of the unit the prefixes like deka to, and kilo meaning, respectively, 10, 100, and 1000, and deci, centi, and milli, meaning, respectively, one-tenth, one-hundredth, and one-thousandth.
In scientific usage, it becomes convenient to measure multiples larger than 1000 and subdivisions smaller than one-thousandth. Therefore, the following prefixes have been introduced and these are recognized worlwide:
yotta, (Y), meaning 1024 deci, (d), meaning 10-1
zetta, (Z), meaning 1021 centi, (c), meaning 10-2
exa, (E), meaning 1018 milli, (m), meaning 10-3
peta, (P), meaning 1015 micro, (u), meaning 10-6
tera, (T), meaning 1012 nano, (n), meaning 10-9
giga, (G), meaning 109 pico, (p), meaning 10-12
mega, (M), meaning 106 femto, (f), meaning 10-15
kilo, (k), meaning 103 atto, (a), meaning 10-18
hecto, (h), meaning 102 zepto, (z), meaning 10-21
deka, (da), meaning 101 yocto, (y), meaning 10-24
10 centimeters = 1 decimeter (dm) = 100 millimeters
10 decimeters = 1 meter (m)
10 meters = 1 dekameter (dam)
10 dekameters = 1 hectometer (hm)
10 hectometers = 1 kilometer (km)
10 centiliters = 1 deciliter (dL)
10 deciliters = 1 liter
10 liters = 1 dekaliter (daL)
10 dekaliters = 1 hectoliter (hL)
10 hectoliters = 1 kiloliter (kL)
100 square centimeters = 1 square decimeter (dm2)
100 square decimeters = 1 square meter (m2)
100 square meters = 1 square dekameter (dam2) = 1 are
100 square dekameters = 1 square hectometer (hm2) = 1 hectare (ha)
100 square hectometers = 1 square kilometer (km2)
10 centigrams = 1 decigram (dg) = 100 milligrams
10 decigrams = 1 gram (g)
10 grams = 1 dekagram (dag)
10 dekagrams = 1 hectogram (hg)
10 hectograms = 1 kilogram (kg)
1000 kilograms = 1 megagram (Mg) or 1 metric ton(t)
In the metric system of measurement, designations of multiples and sub-divisions of any unit may be deduced by combining with the name of the unit the prefixes like deka to, and kilo meaning, respectively, 10, 100, and 1000, and deci, centi, and milli, meaning, respectively, one-tenth, one-hundredth, and one-thousandth.
In scientific usage, it becomes convenient to measure multiples larger than 1000 and subdivisions smaller than one-thousandth. Therefore, the following prefixes have been introduced and these are recognized worlwide:
yotta, (Y), meaning 1024 deci, (d), meaning 10-1
zetta, (Z), meaning 1021 centi, (c), meaning 10-2
exa, (E), meaning 1018 milli, (m), meaning 10-3
peta, (P), meaning 1015 micro, (u), meaning 10-6
tera, (T), meaning 1012 nano, (n), meaning 10-9
giga, (G), meaning 109 pico, (p), meaning 10-12
mega, (M), meaning 106 femto, (f), meaning 10-15
kilo, (k), meaning 103 atto, (a), meaning 10-18
hecto, (h), meaning 102 zepto, (z), meaning 10-21
deka, (da), meaning 101 yocto, (y), meaning 10-24
Units of Length
10 millimeters (mm) = 1 centimeter (cm)10 centimeters = 1 decimeter (dm) = 100 millimeters
10 decimeters = 1 meter (m)
10 meters = 1 dekameter (dam)
10 dekameters = 1 hectometer (hm)
10 hectometers = 1 kilometer (km)
Units of Liquid Volume
10 milliliters (mL) = 1 centiliter (cL)10 centiliters = 1 deciliter (dL)
10 deciliters = 1 liter
10 liters = 1 dekaliter (daL)
10 dekaliters = 1 hectoliter (hL)
10 hectoliters = 1 kiloliter (kL)
Units of Area
100 square millimeters (mm2) = 1 square centimeter (cm2)100 square centimeters = 1 square decimeter (dm2)
100 square decimeters = 1 square meter (m2)
100 square meters = 1 square dekameter (dam2) = 1 are
100 square dekameters = 1 square hectometer (hm2) = 1 hectare (ha)
100 square hectometers = 1 square kilometer (km2)
Units of Mass
10 milligrams (mg) = 1 centigram (cg)10 centigrams = 1 decigram (dg) = 100 milligrams
10 decigrams = 1 gram (g)
10 grams = 1 dekagram (dag)
10 dekagrams = 1 hectogram (hg)
10 hectograms = 1 kilogram (kg)
1000 kilograms = 1 megagram (Mg) or 1 metric ton(t)