Often within electronics, and many other

areas, quantities can become very large. To

make these numbers easier to manage and
comprehend, there is a system of prefixes
used that indicates a multiple or submultiple
of the quantity.
The multiples or submultiples are often
called SI prefixes or metric prefixes because
they precede the associated symbol to form
a decimal multiple or sub-multiple.
These SI prefixes or metric prefixes are
particularly useful and reduce the number of
zeros required to define a given quantity,
making it not only easier to read but also to
manage and manipulate.
These SI prefixes or metric prefixes are in
widespread use in all areas of life.
Table of SI prefixes
The factor expressed as a factor to the power
of ten, SI / metric prefix, the symbol used
and the actual decimal number are tabulated
in the chart below.
In total there are twenty prefixes that have
been officially adopted to be used with the
various units of measure. They are widely
used and are easy to add to the basic units.

Table of SI / Metric Units, Symbols and

Numbers
 
Factor Prefix Symbol Decimal
1 000 000 000 000
10 24
yotta Y
000 000 000 000
1 000 000 000 000
10 21
zetta Z
000 000 000
1 000 000 000 000
1018 exa E
000 000
1 000 000 000 000
1015 peta P
000
1012 tera T 1 000 000 000 000
109 giga G 1 000 000 000
106 mega M 1 000 000
103 kilo k 1 000
102 hecto h 100
Table of SI / Metric Units, Symbols and
Numbers
 
Factor Prefix Symbol Decimal
101 deca da 10
10-1 deci d 0.1
10-2 centi c 0.01
10-3 milli- m 0.001
10-6 micro µ 0.000 001
10-9 nano n 0.000 000 001
10-12 pico p 0.000 000 000 001
0.000 000 000 000
10-15 femto f
001
0.000 000 000 000
10-18 atto a
000 001
0.000 000 000 000
10-21 zepto z
000 000 001
0.000 000 000 000
10 -24
yocto y
000 000 000 001
Examples of SI prefixes
The SI prefixes/ metric prefixes are easily
used as demonstrated by the few simple
examples given below:
1 Megawatt = 1 000 000 watts
1 kilogram = 1000 grams
1 µF = 1 microFarad = 1 / 1 000 000 Farad
etc ... etc ...
Along with these the abbreviations or
symbols can also be used. For example kV
for kilovolts; kW for kilowatts, and km for
kilometre. The other symbols or
abbreviations can be used in exactly the
same manner. However it is necessary to
ensure that the case of the letter is correct,
i.e. lower case or uppercase. Many times
frequencies of 10 mHz have been seen when
what is really meant is 10 MHz.
SI prefixes are internationally recognized
and have been in use for many years. In fact
many of them pre-date SI itself and have
been used since the metric system was first
introduced - hence the name of metric
prefixes that is often used for them. In
addition to this many of these SI prefixes or
metric prefixes are used with many non-SI
units or even non-metric units: for example:
milligauss (mG), microinch(µin), etc. . . .

The SI prefixes or metric prefixes are

particularly useful and are used almost
without exception globally, providing an
easy method of describing quantities in a
succinct and manageable fashion.