Overview
This lecture explains metric system prefixes for units of length, focusing on how each prefix relates to meters.
Metric Prefixes for Larger Units
- Kilo- means one thousand; 1 kilometer (km) = 1,000 meters (m).
- Hecto- means one hundred; 1 hectometer (hm) = 100 meters (m).
- Deca- means ten; 1 decameter (dam) = 10 meters (m).
Metric Prefixes for Smaller Units
- Deci- means one tenth; 1 decimeter (dm) = 0.1 meter (m).
- Centi- means one hundredth; 1 centimeter (cm) = 0.01 meter (m).
- Milli- means one thousandth; 1 millimeter (mm) = 0.001 meter (m).
Key Terms & Definitions
- Kilo- — prefix meaning 1,000 times the base unit.
- Hecto- — prefix meaning 100 times the base unit.
- Deca- — prefix meaning 10 times the base unit.
- Deci- — prefix meaning 1/10 of the base unit.
- Centi- — prefix meaning 1/100 of the base unit.
- Milli- — prefix meaning 1/1,000 of the base unit.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Memorize metric prefixes and their relationships to meters.