Question 2.1: Using Table 2.1, write the name of the metric system prefix ......
Using Table 2.1, write the name of the metric system prefix associated with the listed power of 10 or the power of 10 associated with the listed metric system prefix.
a. nano- b. micro- c. deci- d. 10³ e. 10^{6} f. 10^{9}
| TABLE 2.1 Common Metric System Prefixes with Their Symbols and Mathematical Meanings | |||
| Prefix* | Symbol | Mathematical Meaning^† | |
| Multiples | giga- | G | 1,000,000,000(10^{9}, billion) |
| mega- | M | 1,000,000 (10^{6}, million) | |
| kilo- | k | 1000 (10³, thousand) | |
| Fractional Parts | deci- | d | 0.1 (10^{-1}, one-tenth) |
| centi- | c | 0.01 (10^{-2}, one-hundredth) | |
| milli- | m | 0.001 (10^{-3}, one-thousandth) | |
| micro- | μ (Greek mu) | 0.000001 (10^{-6}, one-millionth) | |
| nano- | n | 0.000000001 (10^{-9}, one-billionth) | |
| pico- | p | 0.000000000001 (10^{-12}, one-trillionth) | |
| *Other prefi xes also are available but are less commonly used. †The power-of-10 notation for denoting numbers is considered in Section 2.6. |
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a. The prefix nano- denotes 10^{-9} (one-billionth).
b. The prefix micro- denotes 10^{-6} (one-millionth).
c. The prefix deci- denotes 10^{-1} (one-tenth).
d. 10^{3} (one thousand) is denoted by the prefix kilo-.
e. 10^{6} (one million) is denoted by the prefix mega-.
f. 10^{9} (one billion) is denoted by the prefix giga-.
The use of numerical prefixes should not be new to you. Consider the use of the prefix tri- in the words triangle, tricycle, trio, trinity, and triple. Each of these words conveys the idea of three of something. The metric system prefixes are used in the same way.