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Peta (prefix)

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This article describes the SI prefix peta. For other meanings, including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, see Peta.
In physics and mathematics, peta- (symbol: P) is a prefix in the SI (system of units) denoting 1015, or 1 000 000 000 000 000. For example:

1 petametre = 1015 metres

1 petasecond = 1015 seconds

Adopted in 1975, it comes from the Greek πέντε, meaning five, because it is equal to 10005. (It is based on the model of tera, coming from the Greek for 'monster': is from the Greek for four and so peta-, coming from , omits the third letter, n.)

In computer science peta- can sometimes mean 1 125 899 906 842 624 (10245 or 250), instead of 1 000 000 000 000 000, especially when used to prefix the byte, giving a petabyte. To resolve this ambiguity, the term pebibyte has been suggested to mean 250 bytes. However, this term is not yet widely used.

SI prefixes
10n Prefix Symbol Short scale Long scale Decimal equivalent in SI#SI writing style > SI writing style
1024 yotta Y Septillion Quadrillion 1 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000
1021 zetta Z Sextillion Trilliard (thousand trillion) 1 000 000 000 000 000 000 000
1018 exa E Quintillion Trillion 1 000 000 000 000 000 000
1015 peta P Quadrillion Billiard (thousand billion) 1 000 000 000 000 000
1012 tera T Trillion Billion 1 000 000 000 000
109 giga G Billion Milliard (thousand million) 1 000 000 000
106 mega M Million 1 000 000
103 kilo k Thousand 1 000
102 hecto h Hundred 100
101 deca, deka da Ten 10
100 (none) (none) One 1
10−1 deci d Tenth 0.1
10−2 centi c Hundredth 0.01
10−3 milli m Thousandth 0.001
10−6 micro µ (u) Millionth 0.000 001
10−9 nano n Billionth Milliardth 0.000 000 001
10−12 pico p Trillionth Billionth 0.000 000 000 001
10−15 femto f Quadrillionth Billiardth 0.000 000 000 000 001
10−18 atto a Quintillionth Trillionth 0.000 000 000 000 000 001
10−21 zepto z Sextillionth Trilliardth 0.000 000 000 000 000 000 001
10−24 yocto y Septillionth Quadrillionth 0.000 000 000 000 000 000 000 001

See also

External links

 


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