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You shouldn't use the term at all. An order of magnitude is 10x, not
1x, 2x, or 3x. I googled the term and found the following definition
and opinion, which I fully agree with:
>From http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~brians/errors/orders.html -->
Many pretentious writers have begun to use the expression "orders of
magnitude" without understanding what it means. The concept derives from
the scientific notation of very large numbers in which each order of
magnitude is ten times the previous one. When the bacteria in a flask
have multiplied from some hundreds to some thousands, it is very handy
to say that their numbers have increased by an order of magnitude, and
when they have increased to some millions, that their numbers have
increased by four orders of magnitude.
Number language generally confuses people. Many seem to suppose that a
100% increase must be pretty much the same as an increase by an order of
magnitude, but in fact such an increase represents merely a doubling of
quantity. A "hundredfold increase" is even bigger: one hundred times as
much. If you don't have a firm grasp on such concepts, it's best to
avoid the expression altogether. After all, "Our audience is ten times
as big now as when the show opened" makes the same point more clearly
than "Our audience has increased by an order of magnitude."
Janet Murphy
Cincinnati, OH
Steve wrote --
I think 'order of magnitude' is a relatively new use of jargon and am
grappling with how best to word it.
My application increases speed by 2 to 3 times; so do I say:
* We increase speed by an order of magnitude of 2-3 times;
* Speed is increased by 2-3 orders of magnitude(s);
* Speed is increased (order of magnitude x 2)
Any ideas would be appreciated.
TIA,
Steve
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