Prefixes of the Metric System

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Mnemonic Device:

• Kings Hate Dragons Because Dragons Can’t Make Money.

Explanation: to remember the Metric prefixes, or the decimal ladder, and base unit (Kilo, Hecto, Deca, Base, Deci, Centi, Milli, Micro).

VARIATIONS:

• Great Mighty King Henry Died By Drinking Chunky Milk
  • Giga, Mega, Kilo, Hecto, Deca, Base, Deci, Centi, Milli

• King Henry Died Bloated Drinking Chocolate Milk
• King Henry Doesn’t March Down Chocolate Mountains
• Good Models Know How Dunkin Donuts Can Make U Not Petit
  • Giga, Mega, Kilo, Hecto, Deca, Deci, Centi, Milli, Micro (symbol looks like a “U”), Nano, Pico
• Kittens Hate Dogs But Do Chase Mice
  • Kilo, Hecto, Deca, Base, Deci, Centi, Milli
• The Great Medieval Killer Hates Dragons, Dragons Cry More Musically, Now Peep.
• The Great Mighty King Henry Died By Drinking Chunky Milk, Nes Pa?
  • Terra, Giga, Mega, Kilo, Hecto, Deca, Deci, Centi, Milli, Micro (symbol looks like a “U”), Nano, Pico
• The Great Mighty King Henry Died Monday Drinking Chocolate Milk Under Neath Pier

• Yawning Zebras Expect Promptness Towards Great Magnanimous Kings; Determined Centaurs Make Messes, Nicely Pushing Feminism At Zebras’ Yearnings.
  • for the prefixes that go from 10^24 -10^-24: Yotta, Zetta, Exa, Peta, Tera, Giga, Mega, Kilo, Deci, Centi, Milli, Micro, Nano, Pico, Femto, Atto, Zepto, Yocto.

This is another way to learn the metric system from milli to mega (as opposed to kilo down to milli);

• Millipedes and Centipedes ate Daisies on U’r Deck, so Hector Killed Many.
  • Millipedes (milli); Centipedes (Centi); Daisies (Deci); U’r (Unit); Deck (Deca); Hector (Hecto); Killed (Kilo); Many (Mega).

Information from Wikipedia Metric prefix:

A metric prefix, or SI prefix, is a unit prefix that precedes a basic unit of measure, to indicate a decadic multiple or fraction of the unit. Each prefix has a unique symbol that is prepended to the unit symbol. The prefix kilo-, for example, may be added to gram to indicate multiplication by one thousand; one kilogram is equal to one thousand grams. The prefix centi-, likewise, may be added to metre to indicate division by one hundred; one centimetre is equal to one hundredth of a metre.

Weight: measured in grams, 1kg is one kilogram = 1000 grams ~ approximately 2 lb or 3.3 oz

Length/distance: measured in meters, 1km is one kilometer = 1000 meters ~ approximately 1093 yd

Volume: measured in liters, 1l is one liter = 1000 milliliter or 1000 ml ~ approximately 2.1134 US pt lqd.