modulus

/ˈmɒd.jə.ləs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmɑː.dʒə.ləs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈmä-jə-ləs/ (ame, mw)

modulus — noun

1. in mathematics, the non-negative value of a number, understood by how far it lie

1.名詞C1
釋義

in mathematics, the non-negative value of a number, understood by how far it lies from zero without taking its sign into account.

例句

The teacher wrote that |-8| equals 8 and called 8 the modulus.

pattern: the modulus of a signed number

When Ayana found the modulus of -3, she wrote 3.

同義詞
  • absolute value

    the standard everyday math term; often preferred to 'modulus' for real numbers

  • magnitude

    broader technical word for size; can apply to vectors and complex numbers, not just signed numbers

文法句型

the modulus of + number

find/calculate the modulus of + number

用法筆記

Usually used in mathematics classes and textbooks. For ordinary numbers it matches the idea of absolute value; for complex numbers it describes the distance from zero on the complex plane.

常見錯誤

❌The modulus of -4 is -4.
✅The modulus of -4 is 4.
💡the modulus ignores the sign and gives the non-negative value.

2. in science, a number used to show the strength of a material's property, for exa

2.名詞C2
釋義

in science, a number used to show the strength of a material's property, for example its stiffness or elasticity.

例句

The engineer compared the modulus of steel and rubber before choosing the material.

pattern: modulus of + material

During the lab class, Hana measured the modulus of the plastic strip.

同義詞
  • coefficient

    broader scientific term for a numerical factor; not limited to material properties

  • constant

    can name a fixed value in formulas, but it does not specifically suggest material behaviour

文法句型

the modulus of + material

Young's modulus

modulus for + sample

用法筆記

Used in physics, engineering, and materials science. It usually appears with the name of a material or in fixed technical terms such as 'Young's modulus'.

常見錯誤

❌We measured the modulus of the force.
✅We measured the modulus of the material.
💡in this sense the modulus describes a property of the substance, not the force itself.

3. in modular arithmetic, the number that sets the repeating cycle, so numbers coun

3.名詞C2
釋義

in modular arithmetic, the number that sets the repeating cycle, so numbers count as equivalent when their difference can be divided by it exactly.

例句

In clock arithmetic, 12 is the modulus because the numbers repeat after 12.

example domain: clock arithmetic

The program used a modulus of 26 to cycle through the alphabet.

pattern: a modulus of + number

同義詞
  • base

    useful for explaining the repeating system, but less exact than the technical term 'modulus'

文法句型

modulus + number

under modulus + number

a modulus of + number

用法筆記

Only used in modular arithmetic and related computing contexts. Distinguish from sense 1: here the modulus is the base of a repeating system, not the size of one number.

常見錯誤

❌In 17 mod 5, the modulus is 2.
✅In 17 mod 5, the modulus is 5.
💡2 is the remainder, while 5 is the number that sets the cycle.