Dear Stan,

Here is the original email � you must have missed it.

Prefix mnemonics

Many activities have memory helpers for beginners so that they can readily
become involved, and they can develop confidence quickly. Well-known
examples are the word F-A-C-E used to remember the 'space' notes of the
treble clef stave in music. This is associated with the sentence 'Every Good
Boy Deserves Fruit' to remember the 'line' notes E, G, B, D, and F.
These memory helpers are technically known as mnemonics, from Greek words
associated with mindfulness and remembering. However, I have not found
equivalent mnemonics to help young people learn SI basics, such as the names
of the prefixes.
I have devised two mnemonics to help people learn SI prefixes easily.
Details of the development and rationale for these mnemonics is indicated in
these tables.

Prefixes less than 1 (sub-multiples)
millie,  mike's  nana,  pickled  fish       at       zepto's  yacht(o)
milli     micro  nano   pica       femto    atto   zepto    yocto
m         �         n        p           f             a       z          y
10^-3  10^-6  10^-9  10^-12  10^-15  10^-18  10^-21  10^-24
Note: I considered fems instead of fish, but I couldn't bear its sound or
its political incorrectness.

Prefixes more than 1 (multiples)
killer  Meg,  Giggling,  Terrified  Peter's  Extra  Zits.  Yuk!
kilo    mega  giga          tera          peta      exa     zetta   yotta
k       M       G            T              P           E        Z        Y
10^3  10^6  10^9       10^12      10^15  10^18  10^21  10^24
Note: I considered 'kindly Meg' but then I grew to like 'killer Meg' much
better.

I make no apology for the silliness of the words that I chose for these
mnemonics. Mnemonics seem to work best if they contain off-the-wall ideas or
reasonably strong rhymes or rhythms; I've been wondering for years why:
'Every Good Boy Deserves Fruit'; but the mnemonic still works, and works
well.

Cheers,

Pat Naughtin LCAMS
Geelong, Australia

Pat Naughtin is the editor of the free online newsletter, 'Metrication
matters'. You can subscribe by sending an email containing the words
subscribe Metrication matters to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
--

on 17/2/04 1:22 AM, G. Stanley Doore at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

> Clever and catchy way to learn and retain the sub-multiple prefixes of the
> SI.  How about something for multiples?
> 
> Stan Doore
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "James Frysinger" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Sunday, February 15, 2004 7:03 PM
> Subject: [USMA:28717] Re: SI prefix mnemonic
> 
> 
> Fennel? Gets the 'e' in there, anyway.
> 
> Jim
> 
> On Sunday 2004 February 15 16:46, Pat Naughtin wrote:
>> Dear Bill and All,
> ....
>> Prefixes less than 1 (sub-multiples)
>> millie,  mike's  nana,  pickled  fish       at       zepto's  yacht(o)
>> milli     micro  nano   pica       femto    atto   zepto    yocto
>> m         �         n        p           f             a       z
> y
>> 10^-3  10^-6  10^-9  10^-12  10^-15  10^-18  10^-21  10^-24
>> Note: I considered fems instead of fish, but I couldn't bear its sound or
>> its political incorrectness.
> ....

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