Question

i thought that ions were named with ide to the root of the element where does ate come in?

Answer 1

The -ide tells you that the compound only has two elements - so K2S for example has K and S. Potassium sulfide. But if you have another element, usually Oxygen, then you have to know the formula of that ion. Sulfate is SO42-. Nitrate, carbonate etc. And then you have -ite. Those are ions that have one O atom less than the -ate. NO2- is nitrite.