When four new SI prefixes were added to the International System of Units (SI) in November 2022, one of the main reasons cited for their need was for their use in data science, where the numbers involved in describing quantities of information have become ever larger. e.g. The amount of data generated by the internet is projected to hit 175 zettabytes by 2025.
Tag: prefixes
Universal metric or particular imperial?
Whether it is twips for typographic screen measurements, hands for horses’ heights or furlongs for horse racing, many imperial units are used for specific purposes. By contrast, the International System of Units (SI), the modern version of the metric system, is based on the principle that each measurable phenomenon has one basic named unit and all the multiples and subdivisions of the unit then follow the same logical structure using prefixes.
Continue reading “Universal metric or particular imperial?”Metric system can meet all astronomers’ needs
The metre used with the appropriate prefix is capable of measuring vast distances across the universe and the tiniest particles in the universe. These prefixes remove the need to use enormous numbers with lots of trailing zeroes. So why do astronomers continue to use astronomical units (AU), light years and parsecs? These non-standard units can be replaced by the metric unit of length, the metre, with the appropriate prefix.
Continue reading “Metric system can meet all astronomers’ needs”NASA Voyager 2 reports make poor use of the metric system
In the first half of August 2023, there were reports about NASA accidentally losing contact with the Voyager 2 spacecraft after sending the wrong command and later reports about regaining contact a few days later. Distances of spacecraft from Earth were expressed in billions of kilometres (as well as billions of miles). One thing that NASA and the media ignored is that the common prefixes of the metric system for the extremely large and the extremely small make the use of astronomical numbers unnecessary unlike the imperial system. This is one big advantage that the metric system has over the imperial system.
Continue reading “NASA Voyager 2 reports make poor use of the metric system”The metric system’s contribution to computing
One of the most notable contributions that the metric system has made to computing is the widespread use of metric prefixes for various computer specifications. Where would the computer industry be without the metric system? It is hard to imagine what it would have looked like without the metric system.
Continue reading “The metric system’s contribution to computing”First new SI prefixes for over 30 years
The International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) has formally approved the use of four new SI prefixes to meet the growing needs of science, computing and the increasing amount of online data and to prevent the adoption of unofficial prefix names. The approval of the new prefixes was one of the resolutions of the 27th General Conference on Weights and Measures, which took place on 15-18 November 2022.
Continue reading “First new SI prefixes for over 30 years”How metric units fit together
After celebrating the arrival of decimal currency in the UK 50 years ago, Metric Views now goes back to basics on decimal measurement. No, we shall not be looking at nautical distances or Gunter’s chain! Continue reading “How metric units fit together”
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