For an example of how a prefix works in conjunction with the base word,
consider the term kilometer. The prefix kilo- means “multiply the root word by
1,000,” so a kilometer is 1,000 meters. By the same reasoning, a millimeter is
1/1,000 meter.
Because of the prefix system, all units and quantities can be easily related by
some factor of 10. Here is a brief table of some metric unit equivalents.
TIP
Know these relationships.