# Convert seconds to nanoseconds on a calculator?

1. Sep 22, 2004

hye this might b a stupid question to ask here but how would one convert seconds to nanoseconds on a calculator? a program for TI format would answer my question (if u know how) or just an equasion

Thanks

2. Sep 22, 2004

### Tide

Just MULTIPLY seconds by 1 billion!

Last edited: Sep 22, 2004
3. Sep 22, 2004

### kawikdx225

Multiply by 1e9

4. Sep 22, 2004

whoa, 2 different answers, whos right?

5. Sep 22, 2004

### Gonzolo

nano <=> 10E-9

Last edited by a moderator: Sep 22, 2004
6. Sep 22, 2004

### HallsofIvy

Staff Emeritus
Dividing by 1 billion is the same as dividing by 109.

Perhaps kawikdx225 mean "multiply by 10-9".

7. Sep 22, 2004

### kawikdx225

No, I meant multiply by 1e9 ie 1000000000

1 second = 1000000000 nanoseconds

8. Sep 22, 2004

### robphy

Let's just clarify this.

$$1\ ns= 10^{-9}\ s = \frac{1\ s}{10^9}$$

Technically speaking, of course, when we "convert units" we really only multiply the measured quantity by 1... otherwise you change the quantity.
Depending on the conversion you desire, write 1 using
$$1 =\frac{10^{-9}\ s}{1\ ns} =\frac{1\ ns}{10^{-9}\ s}$$

$$1.23\ s = 1.23\ s (1) = 1.23\ s \left( \frac{1\ ns}{10^{-9}\ s} \right) =1.23\ ( 10^{9}\ ns) = 1.23 \times 10^{9}\ ns$$

9. Sep 22, 2004

### Tide

Sorry about that - I typed the wrong thing and had to run before proofing. Thanks to all for catching my error.

10. Sep 22, 2004

### kawikdx225

Wow, look guys this is simple.

1nS = 1e-9 seconds
1 second = 1e9 nanoseconds
The original poster wants to convert seconds to nanoseconds so we multiply by 1 billion.

Lets use small numbers.
lets convert 1 second to nanoseconds. 1 x 1e9 = 1 billion. 1 second = 1 billion nanoseconds. See it's simple.

11. Sep 22, 2004

### recon

milli = 10-3
micro = 10-6
nano = 10-9
pico = 10-12
femto = 10-15
atto = 10-18

Just in case you need to do more converting.

12. Sep 22, 2004

ok i got it, thanks guys

13. Sep 23, 2004

### Zurtex

Not particularly relevant to the thread but am I correct in thinking that in America 109 is 1 billion?

14. Sep 23, 2004

yeah, but one person sed 1/1E9 and one person sed 1X1E9 and at the time i had too much work to just figure it out with common sence so yeah

15. Sep 23, 2004

### recon

Yes, 1 billion is 109 almost every in the world, including where I am from, Asia. However, 10-9 is called nano-.

Just for fun, some additional information for scientific notation:
kilo = 103
mega = 106
giga = 109
tera = 1012
peta = 1015
exa = 1018

16. Sep 24, 2004

### Zurtex

Actually by the original definition billion is 1012. (And still the definition in England)

Billion quite simply means bi-million, as in a million millions.

Trillion means tri-million, as in a million million millions (1018)

17. Sep 24, 2004

### robphy

18. Sep 24, 2004