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Mega

Mega (symbol M) is a SI prefix in the SI system of units denoting a factor of 106, i.e. one million; 1 000 000.

Confirmed in 1960, it comes from the Greek μέγας, meaning great.

For example, 1 MW (megawatt) = 1 000 000 watts = 1 000 kilowatts.

1 See also
2 External links

Contents

Other common examples of usage

Computing

In computing, mega can sometimes denote 1,048,576 (220) of information units (example: a megabyte, a megaword), but can denote 1 000 000 (106) of other quantities, for example, transfer rates: 1 megabit/s = 1 000 000 bit/s.

The prefix mebi has been suggested as an alternative for 220 to avoid ambiguity, but is yet to be widely used.


SI prefixes
10n Prefix Symbol Short scale Long scale Name Decimal Equivalent
1024 yotta Y Septillion Quadrillion 1 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000
1021 zetta Z Censored page 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
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 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

  • BIPM website http://www.bipm.org
  • Conversion of bits and bytes http://www.sengpielaudio.com/calculator-bits.htm



The prefix "mega-" (or "megalo-") also means "large", coming from a Greek word with that exact meaning. An example of a word with "mega" meaning large is Megalosaurus.

La Mega is a station in Panama and is on 98.5 FM Mega is also the name of a town in Ethiopia Mega Channel is also the Greek language terrestrial station of Greece and Cyprus.

Last updated: 02-07-2005 01:59:36
Last updated: 02-26-2005 12:48:44