APPENDIX 1A: METRIC CONVERSION TABLE
Method 1 to Enter
into Calculator
SAMPLE UNIT EQUATIONS
Method 2 to Enter
into Calculator
PREFIX
SYMBOL
EXPONENT
giga-
G
1 × 109
1 GW
=
1 gigameter
=
1 i×i 10 i^i 9
=
1 iEEi 9
mega-
M
1  106
1 Mm
=
1 megameter
=
1 i×i 10 i^i 6
=
1 iEEi 6
kilo-
k
1  103
1 km
=
1 kilometer
=
1 i×i 10 i^i 3
=
1 iEEi 3
hecto-
h
1  102
1 hm
=
1 hectometer
=
1 i×i 10 i^i 2
=
1 iEEi 2
deka-
dk
1  101
1 dkm
=
1 dekameter
=
1 i×i 10 i^i 1
=
1 iEEi 1
deci-
d
1  10–1
1 dm
=
1 decimeter
=
1 i×i 10 i^i
i(−)i 1
=
1 iEEi i(−)i 1
centi-
c
1  10–2
1 cm
=
1 centimeter
=
1 i×i 10 i^i
i(−)i 2
=
1 iEEi i(−)i 2
milli-
m
1  10–3
1 mm
=
1 millimeter
=
1 i×i 10 i^i
i(−)i 3
=
1 iEEi i(−)i 3
micro-

1  10–6
1 m
=
1 micrometer
=
1 i×i 10 i^i
i(−)i 6
=
1 iEEi i(−)i 6
nano-
n
1  10–9
1 nm
=
1 nanometer
=
1 i×i 10 i^i
i(−)i 9
=
1 iEEi i(−)i 9
Note: I use “meters” for the sample base unit for this metric conversion table.
Note: For negative exponents, you need to use the negative button
i(−)i
, not the minus sign
i−i
.
Note: You are required to memorize all prefixes above except hecto− (h), deka− (dk), and deci− (d).
Note: Though I am not emphasizing it in this class, health professionals who deal with blood will see “deci” quite a bit.
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