Page 42 - Bebop to The Boolean Boogie An Unconventional Guide to Electronics Fundamentals, Components, and Processes

Conductors and In~~~afQrs 23

Table 3-1. Unit Qualifiers

Qualifier Symbol Factor Name (US.)
yotta Y 1 024 septillion (one million million million million)
zetta Z 102’ sextillion (one thousand million million million)
exa E 1015 quintillion (one million million million)

peta P 1 oi5 quadrillion (one thousand million million)
tera T 10’2 trillion (one million million)
G 1 o9 billion (one thousand
4 $2
mega M 1 o6 million
kilo k 103 thousand
milli m 10-3 thousandth
micro k 1 o-6 millionth
nano n 10-9 billionth (one thousandth of one millionth)
pic0 P 1O-l2 trillionth (one millionth of one millionth)

femto f 10-l~ quadrillionth (one thousandth of one millionth
of one millionth)
atto a 10-10 quintillionth (one millionth of one willionth of
one millionth)
zepto Z 10-2l sextillionth (one thousandth of one millionth
of one millionth of one millionth)

yocto Y 10-24 septillionth (one millionth of one millionth of
one millionth of one millionth)

One last point that’s worth noting is that the qualifiers kilo, mega, giga, and
so forth mean slightly different things when we use them to describe the size of
computer memory. The reasoning behind this (and many other mysteries) is
revealed in Chapiter 15.

15 In Britain, “billion” traditionally used to mean “a million million” ( lo1’). However, for reasons
unknown, the Americans decided that “billion” should mean “a thousand million” ( IO9). In order to
avoid the confusion that would otherwise ensue, most countries in the world (including Britain)
have decided to go along with the Americans.