About Metric Conversions?

Question

Prefix Symbol Factor
Peta P 10^15
Tera T 10^12
Pico p 10^-12
Femto f 10^-15

Do you know where do those words come from. is it Latin or what?
And give me some advice to memorize it.
thx

Answer 1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SI_prefix

it comes from latin & greek ... such as french (i'm french)

the best way to memorize it is to write that list many times

ps:

greek
deka (déca-) for 10
hekaton (hecto-) for 100
khilihoi (kilo-) for 1,000
murias (myria-) for 10,000

latin :
decem (déci-) for 1/10
centum (centi-) for 1/100
mille (milli-) for 1/1000


then, for greater and lower number

greek :

megas (méga-) for « big»
gigas (giga-) for« giant »
teras (téra-) for « monster »
mikros (micro-) for « small»

latin :
nanus (nano-) for « dwarf»

italian :
piccolo (pico-) for « small».


non official sources :
hepta → hépa
octa → otta
nice in grec → néa
déca → déa

others ...

Femtem (femto-) is danish
Zetta- & zepto-, from french word "sept" (seven) for 1000±7.