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[Explore Stack Internal](https://stackoverflow.co/internal/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=electronics-community&utm_campaign=side-bar&utm_content=explore-teams-compact-popover) # [What is a "100R" resistor?](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor) [Ask Question](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/ask) Asked 9 years, 8 months ago Modified [9 years, 7 months ago](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor?lastactivity "2016-08-08 16:21:59Z") Viewed 55k times This question shows research effort; it is useful and clear 32 Save this question. Show activity on this post. Sometimes I see references to "R" resistors. For example: [](https://i.sstatic.net/rpImf.png) Obviously the 100 refers to 100 Ohms. What does 100R mean? - [resistors](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/resistors "show questions tagged 'resistors'") - [schematics](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/schematics "show questions tagged 'schematics'") - [symbol](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/symbol "show questions tagged 'symbol'") - [math](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/math "show questions tagged 'math'") [Share](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/q/246920 "Short permalink to this question") Share a link to this question Copy link [CC BY-SA 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ "The current license for this post: CC BY-SA 3.0") Cite Follow Follow this question to receive notifications [edited Aug 8, 2016 at 16:21](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/posts/246920/revisions "show all edits to this post") user107801 asked Jul 20, 2016 at 5:07 [](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/39947/tyler-durden) [Tyler Durden](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/39947/tyler-durden) 2,27666 gold badges4141 silver badges5252 bronze badges 21 - 24 The R is sometimes used as a decimal point. So 100R is 100 Ohms, 4R7 is 4.7 Ohms, etc. user57037 – [user57037](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/57037/user57037 "29,901 reputation") 2016-07-20 05:09:34 +00:00 [Commented Jul 20, 2016 at 5:09](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor#comment543490_246920) - 5 " Radix point " Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams – [Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/11606/ignacio-vazquez-abrams "48,982 reputation") 2016-07-20 05:16:18 +00:00 [Commented Jul 20, 2016 at 5:16](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor#comment543493_246920) - 17 Traditional ascii fonts do not have an omega symbol, so 'R' is commonly used instead. pjc50 – [pjc50](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/2228/pjc50 "47,414 reputation") 2016-07-20 08:28:56 +00:00 [Commented Jul 20, 2016 at 8:28](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor#comment543584_246920) - 7 @pjc50 Once I was working with a US student and a Canadian postdoc. The postdoc kept saying "zed" instead of "z", and eventually the student asked "What's a zed?" I told her it was a backwards z, but since we didn't have those on our standard keyboards, we would just type "z" Scott Seidman – [Scott Seidman](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/11684/scott-seidman "31,814 reputation") 2016-07-20 16:32:49 +00:00 [Commented Jul 20, 2016 at 16:32](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor#comment543828_246920) - 5 @bcrist: Just because Unicode has a separate code point for "Ohm" (which is silly) does NOT mean that it is not a capital Omega. Dave Tweed – [Dave Tweed](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/11683/dave-tweed "185,535 reputation") 2016-07-21 16:16:47 +00:00 [Commented Jul 21, 2016 at 16:16](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor#comment544391_246920) \| [Show **16** more comments](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor "Expand to show all comments on this post") ## 5 Answers 5 Sorted by: [Reset to default](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor?answertab=scoredesc#tab-top) This answer is useful 51 Save this answer. Show activity on this post. The idea is that the multiplier replaces the decimal point. This dates back to pre-CAD schematics which were hand drawn and then photocopied and reduced. A decimal point could easily get lost during the copying process. By writing 4k7 rather than 4.7k the risk of these errors was greatly reduced. R was used for a multiplyer of 1 because omega could easily be mistaken for a 0. So ... 4R7, 47R, 470R, 4k7, 47k, 470k, 4M7, 47M. The same approach is used with capacitors: 2p2, 22p, 220p, 2n2, 22n, 220n, 2u2, 22u, 220u. In the old days larger values were still marked µF so the next decade was marked 2200u but with large capacitor values common now we're seeing 2m2, 22m, etc. I've never seen an equivalent of the 'R' as in 2C2 for a 2.2 F - yet! 2F2 may be more sensible. The current use of 'R' would then be excused (4R7 instead of 4Ω7) on the basis that Ω isn't readily available on most keyboards. This system may be more popular in Europe. *** Thanks to @JasonC for pointing out that the 'R' notation is covered by British Standard [BS 1852](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BS_1852). [Share](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/a/246934 "Short permalink to this answer") Share a link to this answer Copy link [CC BY-SA 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ "The current license for this post: CC BY-SA 3.0") Cite Follow Follow this answer to receive notifications [edited Jul 22, 2016 at 18:12](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/posts/246934/revisions "show all edits to this post") answered Jul 20, 2016 at 6:31 [](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/73158/transistor) [Transistor](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/73158/transistor) 189k1616 gold badges208208 silver badges440440 bronze badges 21 - 13 And if you stare at the R for long, it sort of looks like someone got a stretchy omega and pinched its center to join the two legs, and moved it up and to the left a bit. Kroltan – [Kroltan](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/51556/kroltan "149 reputation") 2016-07-20 11:55:59 +00:00 [Commented Jul 20, 2016 at 11:55](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor#comment543652_246934) - 12 @glglgl There are file formats and programs that can only store 8bit characters in strings, and don't support code tables apart from the system code table. Copy & paste into these file formats or programs will produce anything but legible greek characters (except maybe on a greek computer system). Alexander – [Alexander](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/58978/alexander "111 reputation") 2016-07-20 14:06:45 +00:00 [Commented Jul 20, 2016 at 14:06](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor#comment543737_246934) - 3 @glglgl you would be surprised how much very old legacy code is running in current (and very expensive) CAD software... alex.forencich – [alex.forencich](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/31018/alex-forencich "41,850 reputation") 2016-07-20 14:43:59 +00:00 [Commented Jul 20, 2016 at 14:43](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor#comment543766_246934) - 3 @glglgl: Incomplete yes, buggy no. When one considers the cost of support for non-ASCII characters in a schematic entry program, compared to features that are directly related to circuit design, one can see why such a thing may be way down the priority list. Ben Voigt – [Ben Voigt](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/1743/ben-voigt "3,244 reputation") 2016-07-20 14:44:58 +00:00 [Commented Jul 20, 2016 at 14:44](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor#comment543767_246934) - 5 @Alexander: Not only that, but many CAD programs use one or more sets of hard-coded stroked-character shapes, rather than using system fonts, and thus cannot use any characters which are not in their hard-coded set regardless of how many system fonts include it. supercat – [supercat](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/3123/supercat "47,764 reputation") 2016-07-20 14:58:41 +00:00 [Commented Jul 20, 2016 at 14:58](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor#comment543779_246934) \| [Show **16** more comments](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor "Expand to show all comments on this post") This answer is useful 16 Save this answer. Show activity on this post. It is quite common to see the letter "R" used as a decimal point. As in **47R9** = 47.9 ohms. And likewise, it is common to see the letter "K" or "M". For example **6K81** would be 6,810 ohms and **2M3** would be 2,300,000 ohms. [Share](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/a/246922 "Short permalink to this answer") Share a link to this answer Copy link [CC BY-SA 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ "The current license for this post: CC BY-SA 3.0") Cite Follow Follow this answer to receive notifications answered Jul 20, 2016 at 5:15 [](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/105038/richard-crowley) [Richard Crowley](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/105038/richard-crowley) 14\.6k22 gold badges2222 silver badges3737 bronze badges 6 - 2 So in this case it just means 100.0 ? Tyler Durden – [Tyler Durden](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/39947/tyler-durden "2,276 reputation") 2016-07-20 05:15:58 +00:00 [Commented Jul 20, 2016 at 5:15](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor#comment543492_246922) - 3 Yes. 100R means 100 ohms. Richard Crowley – [Richard Crowley](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/105038/richard-crowley "14,570 reputation") 2016-07-20 05:17:24 +00:00 [Commented Jul 20, 2016 at 5:17](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor#comment543494_246922) - You may also see 6R8 or 2R2 on an inductor to represent 6.8uH or 2.2uH respectively. Spehro 'speff' Pefhany – [Spehro 'speff' Pefhany](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/35530/spehro-speff-pefhany "458,343 reputation") 2016-07-20 18:16:19 +00:00 [Commented Jul 20, 2016 at 18:16](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor#comment543870_246922) - 2 It makes sense that they use R as a decimal point as if they actually printed a decimal point on a piece of paper, it could be easily be misread due to its small size or be rubbed out. Bradman175 – [Bradman175](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/104462/bradman175 "1,231 reputation") 2016-07-21 00:55:26 +00:00 [Commented Jul 21, 2016 at 0:55](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor#comment544046_246922) - Alternatively, if it was *common* to use a decimal point on parts, you might confuse a speck of dust (or a manufacturing flaw) between two digits as a decimal point. Nick Gammon – [Nick Gammon](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/79426/nick-gammon "928 reputation") 2016-07-23 03:52:48 +00:00 [Commented Jul 23, 2016 at 3:52](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor#comment545224_246922) \| [Show **1** more comment](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor "Expand to show all comments on this post") This answer is useful 13 Save this answer. Show activity on this post. Adding to the other answers, sometimes you may even see E used in place of R. So a 100 ohm resistor would be 100E and a 9.1 ohm resistor would be 9E1 for example. [Share](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/a/246932 "Short permalink to this answer") Share a link to this answer Copy link [CC BY-SA 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ "The current license for this post: CC BY-SA 3.0") Cite Follow Follow this answer to receive notifications [edited Jul 20, 2016 at 16:19](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/posts/246932/revisions "show all edits to this post") answered Jul 20, 2016 at 6:22 [](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/116407/bitshift) [bitshift](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/116407/bitshift) 91711 gold badge77 silver badges1919 bronze badges 13 - 4 I've never seen E used as a place holder for a decimal point, "R", "k", "m" and "M" obviously for resistors and "m", "u", "n", "f"and "p"on capacitors and inductors. Where is "E" used in this way? You some times see E used in scientific notation so for example 1E3\=1×103 1 E 3 \= 1 × 10 3 but not on circuit diagrams. Warren Hill – [Warren Hill](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/26566/warren-hill "5,040 reputation") 2016-07-20 06:32:51 +00:00 [Commented Jul 20, 2016 at 6:32](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor#comment543535_246932) - 3 Here's a link to a component supplier where E is used extensively. [mantech.co.za/Stock.aspx?Query=1Eand](http://www.mantech.co.za/Stock.aspx?Query=1Eand) bitshift – [bitshift](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/116407/bitshift "917 reputation") 2016-07-20 06:36:49 +00:00 [Commented Jul 20, 2016 at 6:36](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor#comment543537_246932) - 4 It may not be very common but if anyone ever comes across a schematic with E instead of R this answer may help them. bitshift – [bitshift](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/116407/bitshift "917 reputation") 2016-07-20 07:03:08 +00:00 [Commented Jul 20, 2016 at 7:03](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor#comment543544_246932) - 7 @bitshift, I think the people who downvote you have never heard of this, so they downvote because they think you are wrong. I did not downvote you. But I have never heard of this before. I did click on the link you provided, and, indeed, E seems to be used. Learn something new every day. user57037 – [user57037](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/57037/user57037 "29,901 reputation") 2016-07-20 08:09:59 +00:00 [Commented Jul 20, 2016 at 8:09](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor#comment543576_246932) - 4 I have heard of it many times and subsequently upvoted it to not drive away users from this site. winny – [winny](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/109619/winny "18,200 reputation") 2016-07-20 09:16:22 +00:00 [Commented Jul 20, 2016 at 9:16](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor#comment543601_246932) \| [Show **8** more comments](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor "Expand to show all comments on this post") This answer is useful 10 Save this answer. Show activity on this post. Typically, resistor "multipliers" are represented as: **KΩ** (thousands of ohms), **MΩ** (millions of ohms), **GΩ** (thousands of millions of ohms) ...etc. Since the context usually makes it clear that we're talking about resistor values, it's common short-hand to drop the 'Ω' so that, for example, you can write "39K"\* instead of "39KΩ". But, dropping the "Ω" leaves the problem of how to represent a resistor value when the multiplier is 1. So it was decided that "R" would represent a "x1" multiplier. So now you can write "39R" instead of "39Ω". The multipliers (R, K, M, G... etc) can also be used as shorthand for decimal points. So, for example, instead of having to write "2.2Ω", you can simply write "2R2". All the multipliers can be used in this way. A final example: "3.3KΩ" can be written as "3K3" *Note that it is common practice to capitalise the "K" multiplier when referring to resistor values. Technically this is incorrect, as "k" is the official '1000' prefix. But it's just a shorthand, limited in its use to **resistor** values, and the capital K is in common use in this context.* [Share](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/a/246936 "Short permalink to this answer") Share a link to this answer Copy link [CC BY-SA 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ "The current license for this post: CC BY-SA 3.0") Cite Follow Follow this answer to receive notifications [edited Jul 20, 2016 at 12:01](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/posts/246936/revisions "show all edits to this post") answered Jul 20, 2016 at 6:54 [](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/111691/q) [Q''](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/111691/q) 46422 silver badges99 bronze badges 1 - 2 Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been [moved to chat](http://chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/42779/discussion-on-answer-by-q-what-is-a-100r-resistor). Dave Tweed – [Dave Tweed](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/users/11683/dave-tweed "185,535 reputation") 2016-07-20 15:05:40 +00:00 [Commented Jul 20, 2016 at 15:05](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor#comment543782_246936) [Add a comment](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor "Use comments to ask for more information or suggest improvements. Avoid comments like “+1” or “thanks”.") \| This answer is useful 2 Save this answer. Show activity on this post. Wikipedia tells, > The notation to state a resistor's value in a circuit diagram varies. The **European notation [BS 1852](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BS_1852)** avoids using **a decimal separator**, and replaces the decimal separator with the **SI prefix symbol** for the particular value. For example, **8k2** in a circuit diagram indicates a resistor value of **8\.2 kΩ**. Additional zeros imply tighter tolerance, for example **15M0**. When the value can be expressed without the need for an SI prefix, an **"R"** is used instead of the decimal separator. For example, **1R2** indicates **1\.2 Ω**, and **18R** indicates **18 Ω**. The use of a SI prefix symbol or the letter **"R"** circumvents the problem that decimal separators tend to **"disappear"** when **photocopying** a printed circuit diagram. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resistor#Electronic_symbols_and_notation> Also, I've seen, 1. just-like R, also **E** is being used such as **4E7** etc. 2. the zero for tighter-tolerance sometimes not given, such as 47K, 56K etc. [Share](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/a/251300 "Short permalink to this answer") Share a link to this answer Copy link [CC BY-SA 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ "The current license for this post: CC BY-SA 3.0") Cite Follow Follow this answer to receive notifications [edited Aug 8, 2016 at 16:21](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/posts/251300/revisions "show all edits to this post") answered Aug 8, 2016 at 16:06 user107801 [Add a comment](https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/246920/what-is-a-100r-resistor "Use comments to ask for more information or suggest improvements. 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Typically, resistor "multipliers" are represented as: **KΩ** (thousands of ohms), **MΩ** (millions of ohms), **GΩ** (thousands of millions of ohms) ...etc. Since the context usually makes it clear that we're talking about resistor values, it's common short-hand to drop the 'Ω' so that, for example, you can write "39K"\* instead of "39KΩ". But, dropping the "Ω" leaves the problem of how to represent a resistor value when the multiplier is 1. So it was decided that "R" would represent a "x1" multiplier. So now you can write "39R" instead of "39Ω". The multipliers (R, K, M, G... etc) can also be used as shorthand for decimal points. So, for example, instead of having to write "2.2Ω", you can simply write "2R2". All the multipliers can be used in this way. A final example: "3.3KΩ" can be written as "3K3" *Note that it is common practice to capitalise the "K" multiplier when referring to resistor values. Technically this is incorrect, as "k" is the official '1000' prefix. But it's just a shorthand, limited in its use to **resistor** values, and the capital K is in common use in this context.*