modulus

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

modulus — 名詞

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

1.名詞C1
釋義

絕對值

不看正負時與零的距離

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.

老師在題目上標出 |-8| = 8，並說 8 就是它的絕對值。

pattern: the modulus of a signed number

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

Ayana 算出 -3 的絕對值時，寫下了 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

材料模數

表示材料性質強弱的係數

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.

工程師在選材前，比較了鋼和橡膠的材料模數。

pattern: modulus of + material

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

在實驗課上，Hana 測量了那條塑膠片的材料模數。

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

模數

模算術中決定循環的基數

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.

在時鐘算術裡，12 是模數，因為數字到 12 之後會重新循環。

example domain: clock arithmetic

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

這個程式使用 26 作為模數，讓字母可以循環排列。

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.