How to Make a Chart on Powers of Ten

Show your math and science students that learning the powers of ten can be as simple as memorizing a chart. You can have the students themselves design the chart for an in-class assignment before a test or quiz.

Instructions

1. Access a blank document. Entitle it, "Powers of Ten Chart."

2. Insert a table with 4 columns and 17 rows. Use the first row for the column headings, "Factor," "Name," "Prefix" and "Symbol."

3. Click inside the second row. Type the numerical factors representing every power of ten. Add every exponent beginning with 18 all the way down to -18.

4. Go to second column and insert these names from top to bottom, "Quintillion," "Quadrillion," "Trillion," "Billion," "Million," "Thousand," "Hundred," "Ten," "One Tenth," "One Hundredth," "One Thousandth," "One Millionth," "One Billionth," "One Trillionth," "One Quadrillionth" and "One Quintillionth."

5. Jump to the third column. Add the following prefixes, beginning with the first factor of
   ten, "Exa," "Peta," "Tera," "Giga," "Mega," "Kilo," "Hecto," "Deca," "Deci," "Centi," "Milli," "Micro," "Nano," "Pico," "Femto" and "Atto."

6. Continue with the last column. Insert the following standard mathematical symbols for each power of ten, "E," "P," "T," "G," "M," "k," "h," "da," "d," "c," "m," "µ," "n," "p," "f" and "a."

7. Finish with special chart formatting. Click inside the first row and add background shading calling attention to the column headings. Skip one row and begin to alternate shading in every other row for the entire chart.