Can we give a precise definition to say "$b$ is $m$- times greater than $a$?"

Question

Let $a,b\in R$ and $a<b.$ Can we give a precise definition to say "$b$ is $m$- times greater than $a$?" in general. For the positive $0<a<b$ it is clear. "We say that $b$ is $m$-times greater than $a$ if $\frac{b}{a}=m.$" How about if both are negative or one negative the other one is positive?

Answer 1

I would say that "b is m times as large as a" means that b= ma but that "b is m times larger than a" means that b= a+ ma= (m+1)a.