The metric system uses prefixes to indicate the size of the units of measurement. Each prefix varies from the next by a factor of ten. It is either ten times as large or one tenth the size.

The common prefixes with their values are:

• kilo = 1000
• hecto = 100
• deca = 10
• no prefix = 1
• deci = 1/10
• centi = 1/100
• milli = 1/1000

An example of comparing volume based on metric prefixes is: A deciliter is larger than a milliliter.