AS 1340—1975

Australian Standard
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SYMBOLS FOR SI UNITS

FOR SYSTEMS WITH
LIMITED CHARACTER SETS
 The following scientific, industrial and governmental organizations and departments
were officially represented on the committee entrusted with the preparation of this
standard:
Australian Banks
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Australian Computer Users Association
Australia Post office
CSIRO, Division of Computer Research
Department of Defence
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Life Offices Association of Australia

Manufacturers of data processing equipment
National Library of Australia
Public Service Boards
Qantas Airways
Universities and Colleges

This standard, prepared by Committee MS/20, Computers and Information Processing,

was approved on behalf of the Council of the Standards Association of Australia on
13 May 1975.

Review of Australian Standards. To keep abreast of progress in industry, Australian Standards are subject
to periodic review and are kept up to date by the issue of amendments or new edit ions as necessary. It is
important therefore that Standards users ensure that they are in possession of the latest edit ion, and any
amendments thereto.
Full details of all Australi an Standards and related publications will be found in the Standards Australia
Catalogue of Publications; this information is supplemented each month by the magazine ‘The Australi an
Standard’, which subscribing members receive, and which gives details of new publications, new editi ons
and amendments, and of withdrawn Standards.
Suggesti ons for improvements to Australian Standards, addressed to the head offi ce of Standards Australia,
are welcomed. Noti fi cati on of any inaccuracy or ambiguity found in an Australian Standard should be made
without delay in order that the matter may be investigated and appropriate action taken.

This standard was issued in draft form for public review as DR 72128.
 AS 1340—1975

Australian Standard
This is a free 6 page sample. Access the full version at http://infostore.saiglobal.com.

SYMBOLS FOR SI UNITS

FOR SYSTEMS WITH
LIMITED CHARACTER SETS

First publi shed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1975

PUBLISHED BY STANDARDS AUSTRALIA

(STANDARDS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA)
1 THE CRESCENT, HOMEBUSH, NSW 2140
ISBN 0 7262 0574 5
 AS 1340—1975 2

PREFACE

This standard was prepared by the Association’s Committee on Computers and

Information Processing.
The standard is concerned with the presentation of metric units, in particular the units
of the International System (SI). The symbols specified are primarily for use in data
processing equipment, for the exchange of data between data processing systems by
trained personnel directly concerned with the operation of such equipment or systems.
It is technically identical with ISO 2955 published by the International Organization
for Standardization (ISO). Editorially, the standard differs from ISO 2955 in that the
definitions and expressions for derived units have been incorporated in the text.
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ISO 2955 also requires that reference be made to ISO 31 and ISO 1000. These
requirements too, have been incorporated.
The philosophy followed is set out in the Foreword. Should more information be
required on the International System reference should be made to AS 1000, The
International System of Units (SI) and Its Application.
Reference may also be necessary to AS 1776, 7-Bit Coded Character Set for
Information Processing Interchange.
 3 AS 1340—1975

STANDARDS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA

Australian Standard
for
SYMBOLS FOR SI UNITS FOR SYSTEMS WITH
LIMITED CHARACTER SETS

FOREWORD
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The abbreviation for the name of a unit of measurement of a physical quantity is

known as a unit symbol and a large number of unit symbols have become the subject
of international agreement. AS 1000, The International System of Units (SI) and Its
Application, lists some of these and explains their use. Unit symbols require the use
of a letter or graphic character and of digits in the superscript position to represent
them. Such characters and superscript digits are not included in the character sets of
many data processing equipments so it is necessary to make special arrangements for
the representation of these units using only the available characters.

Provision is made in this draft for characters of two degrees of simplicity designated
Form I and Form II. Form I symbols use both upper and lower case letters, Form II
symbols require only upper case or lower case letters. For either case, the Form II
symbols use the same letters to form the symbol.

This standard is concerned only with metric units. In particular it is concerned with the
units of the International System (SI) and with units used in conjunction with SI units.
It is emphasized that the unit symbols specified do not supersede internationally agreed
unit symbols. The symbols specified are primarily for use in data processing
equipment, for the exchange of data between data processing systems, and by
personnel directly concerned with the operation of such equipment or systems, who
have been trained in the use and meaning of such symbols.

While the set of symbols specified is considered to be satisfactory for its purpose, the
limited character sets assumed do not permit ambiguity to be avoided with the same
degree of certainty as the internationally agreed character set. These symbols are
therefore recommended only for use within closed systems such as are found in data
processing. They should not be used in data prepared for data processing equipment
for more general use, but should, at this stage, be converted to internationally agreed
symbols such as those used in AS 1000.

Other special characters that may be required may or may not be available in the
equipment or system in use. Equipment using the Australian standard 7-bit coded
character set (as defined in AS 1776) will have available a number of special graphic
symbols. If the equipment or system does not make provision for such a character, it
is recommended that the name of the character should be spelt out in full.
 AS 1340—1975 4

SPECIFICATION

1 SCOPE. This standard specifies two sets of symbols for units, to be used in
interchange of data between equipments capable of accepting, using, reading or
displaying limited graphic character sets, in place of the internationally agreed symbol
or abbreviation for units.

2 APPLICATION. The symbols listed represent the names of SI units of

measurement of physical quantities and other internationally recognized units, as
defined in AS 1000—1974, The International System of Units (SI) and Its Application,
and their decimal multiples and sub-multiples formed by the use of prefixes. They are
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not intended to replace the international symbols established by the International

Conference on Weights and Measures, and are intended only for use in systems with
limited graphic character set capabilities.

When an equipment or system does not make provision for a required character, it is
recommended that the unabbreviated unit name be used.

3 DEFINITIONS.

3.1 System—‘System’ (in data processing) has been defined in AS 1189, Vocabulary
for Information Processing, as—

(a) an assembly of methods, procedures, or techniques united by regulated interaction

to form an organized whole; and

(b) an organized collection of men, machines, and methods required to accomplish a

set of specific functions.

3.2 SI Units.

(a) The name ‘Systeme International d’Unit e′ s’ (International System of Units) with
the abbreviation SI was adopted by the 11th Conference Generale des Poids et
Mesures in 1960.

The coherent units are designated ‘SI units’.

(b) The SI is based on the following seven base units:

metre (m) ampere (A) candela (cd)

kilogram (kg) kelvin (K)
second (s) mole (mol)

as units for the base quantities: length, mass, time, electric current,
thermodynamic temperature, amount of substance, and luminous intensity.

(c) The SI units for plane angle and solid angle, the radian (rad) and the steradian (sr)
respectively, are called supplementary units in the SI.

4 CHARACTER SETS.

4.1 Form I. Form I character sets are for systems which have the capability to use
both upper and lower case letters (double case), digits, and other graphics, at least the
graphical symbols apostrophe (’), quotation mark (”), hyphen (-), full stop or
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AS 1340-1975, Symbols for SI units for systems

with limited character sets
This is a free 6 page sample. Access the full version at http://infostore.saiglobal.com.

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