Template talk:SI prefixes

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[edit] Blue table

I've just edited the plain text version into the current blue table version, and am not totally happy with the result. However, I think it is an improvement on the previous version. It may need moving across to a Wiki table syntax, maybe tomorrow. Ian Cairns 21:52, 17 Oct 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Fixed spacing

I've just centred the first column - since the fixed spacing was producing uneven results. I've also widened the Short Scale column since some rows were being forced onto two rows by the additional spaces. Hopefully, this may make the template look better to more people. Please note that just because it looks fine with fixed spacing to one person, it may not look the same to others with other Wiki skins. Thanks, Ian Cairns 23:52, 12 Dec 2004 (UTC)


[edit] kilo is k and not K

Having just made the edit and subsequently investigated it, http://physics.nist.gov/cuu/Units/prefixes.html and http://www.bipm.fr/en/si/prefixes.html both support the fact that K is not the valid prefix for 1000.

[edit] LaTeX

What are people's thoughts to puting LaTeX maths into the table. This is inspired because 10002/3 makes me want to be physically sick! Fractions need to be on two line. 1000^{\frac{2}{3}} looks a lot better, but would look wierd if only a few were like that! So what's the general opinion?

I think it's fine the way it is. — Omegatron 17:52, 22 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Mancho/mincho

I could not find any reference to the supposed prefixes "mancho" (1027) and "mincho" (10-27), so I removed them from the template. — Svenlafe 07:40, 20 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Since

1960/1964/1975/1991 is from http://www.bipm.fr/en/si/prefixes.html (about SI proper), but maybe 1960 only marks the first use of the name "SI" with some units already in use since a CGPM predating 1960 (this should be investigated). 1795 (taken from the corresponding individual pages) is for some prefixes inherited from, originally, French legislation, although it should be investigated what the exact difference is between August 1, 1793 (apparently the real origin), April 7, 1795, and December 10, 1799. For (micro and?) mega, earlier dates are 1874 (cgs) and 1919 (mts), not verified. Giga also mentions 1947. Are there any other pre-SI dates for individual prefixes? How should they be represented in the table (choosing one, but which, or mentioning several)? Is there an article with a thorough history? — RFST 18:08, 10 November 2007 (UTC)

Added a note about what it is that we do have. Gene Nygaard 06:38, 15 November 2007 (UTC)
As you pointed out, the cgs systems existed for some time before the CGPM existed. Might need to look at the usage of its pioneers such as Gauss if you want to try to find earlier usage. I agree that micro- and mega- in particular saw considerable use before the dates given here. Gene Nygaard 06:40, 15 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Citation needed tags

The web site http://physics.nist.gov/Pubs/SP330/sp330.pdf, titled NIST Special Publication 330: The International System of Units, published in 2001 by the National Institute of Standards and Technology verifies that the CGPM first met in 1889 (page 2) and that the definiton of the micron was abrogated by the 13th CGPM (1967-8) (page 42). Therefore I am removing the citation needed tags. It is not practical to put a citation in a template, since the articles that incorporate it will have different citation styles. --Gerry Ashton (talk) 00:40, 16 December 2007 (UTC)