| Prefix
| Abbrev.
| Multiply base unit by:
| Example: |
| Tera- | T | 1 trillion = 1012
| 1 Terameter (Tm) = 1012 m |
| Giga- | G | 1 billion = 109
| 1 Gigameter (Gm) = 109 m |
| Mega- | M | 1 million = 106
| 1 Megameter (Mm) = 106 m |
| Kilo- | K or k | 1000 = 103
| 1 Kilometer (km) = 103 m |
| | | 1 = 100
| 1 meter (base unit) = 1 m |
| deci- | d | 1/10 = .1 = 10-1
| 1 decimeter (dm) = 10-1 m |
| centi- | c | 1/100 = .01 = 10-2
| 1 centimeter (cm) = 10-2 m |
| milli- | m | 1/1000 = .001 = 10-3
| 1 millimeter (mm) = 10-3 m |
| micro- | μ ("mu") | 1/million = 10-6
| 1 micrometer (μm) = 10-6 m |
| nano- | n | 1/billion = 10-9
| 1 nanometer (nm) = 10-9 m |
| pico- | p | 1/trillion = 10-12
| 1 picometer (pm) = 10-12 m |