ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

ISO 31-11

ISO 31-11 is a set of rules for how numbers and units of measurement are written and used in science and engineering. It helps people communicate and calculate numbers and measurements accurately so that everyone can understand them.

Imagine you have a toy car that you want to measure how fast it goes. You can measure how far the car travels in a certain amount of time. This gives you two pieces of information: distance and time. We use numbers and units to describe the measurements of distance and time. For example, if the car travels 10 meters in 2 seconds, we write it as 10 m in 2 s. The distance is measured in meters and the time is measured in seconds. ISO 31-11 tells us how to write numbers and units correctly so that everyone can understand what we mean.

Another important rule in ISO 31-11 is the use of prefixes. A prefix is a word that comes before a unit of measurement to show how big or small the measurement is. For example, a millimeter is a smaller unit of length than a centimeter. These prefixes are standardized so that everyone uses the same ones. This makes it easier to communicate and compare measurements.

Overall, ISO 31-11 is a set of rules that helps people communicate and calculate numbers and measurements accurately in science and engineering. It tells us how to write numbers and units correctly so that everyone can understand them, and it provides standardized prefixes to show how big or small a measurement is.