how do you know which names end in ide, ite, and ate?

Answer 1

ide, ite, and ate are endings for SALTS; i.e., a metal + non-metal.
ide is for binary compounds. Binary compounds are those compounds composed of two elements. NaCl, LiBr, Na2O, Mg3N2 are -ide compounds; sodium chloride, lithium bromide, sodium oxide, magnesium nitride, etc.
ite and ate endings are salts named for the acids from which they come. For example, NaClO2 comes from NaOH and HClO2. That is sodium hydroxide and chlorous acid. The ous of the acid becomes ite for the salt. The ic of acids become ate for the salt. That is NaClO3 is from sodium hydroxide and chloric acid.
I remember it this way.
ide is for binary compounds
ous changes to ite
ic changes to ate.
hypo...ous changes to hypo...ite
per....ic changes to per....ate.
NaCl is sodium chloride.
NaClO is sodium hypochlorite.
NaClO2 is sodium chlorite.
NaClO3 is sodium chlorate.
NaClO4 is sodium perchlorate.