Answer:
Prefixes are often added to SI (International System of Units) units to indicate a multiple or fraction of the base unit. These prefixes make it easier to express values that are very large or very small without having to write a long string of zeros.
Step-by-step explanation:
Here are some examples of common SI prefixes:
- Kilo (k): represents a thousand times the base unit. For example, 1 kilogram (kg) is equal to 1000 grams (g).
- Milli (m): represents one thousandth of the base unit. For example, 1 millimeter (mm) is equal to 0.001 meters (m).
- Mega (M): represents one million times the base unit. For example, 1 megabyte (MB) is equal to 1,000,000 bytes.
By using prefixes, we can easily convert between different units and make calculations more manageable. For instance, if we want to convert 5000 meters to kilometers, we can divide by 1000 since there are 1000 meters in a kilometer. Therefore, 5000 meters is equal to 5 kilometers.
In summary, prefixes are added to SI units to simplify the representation of values that are extremely large or small. They allow us to express measurements in a more concise and convenient manner, making calculations and conversions easier