What is the magnitude of numbers all about?

1 Answer
Alan N.
Mar 20, 2018

See below.

Explanation:

This is quite a big topic that I will try to explain simply but not completely here.

Put simply, "magnitude" of numbers refers to their size.

First, if we limit ourselves to the real numbers:

Then the magnitude of some x in RR = absx. That is the size of x without concern as to whether it is negative or positive.

If we now extend to complex numbers:

Then the magnitude of some z in CC= a+ib
where {a,b} in RR is sqrt(a^2+b^2) which is the absolute value of z on the complex plane.

This concept can be extended further into other spaces, but in all cases the fundamental concept of magnitude is simply one of size - usually relative to other objects in the space.

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