Final answer:
The magnitude of the vertical component of the book's velocity just before it hits the floor is 24.5 m/s, which is the absolute value of the given velocity Vy = -24.5 m/s.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the magnitude of the vertical component of the book's velocity just before it reaches the floor, we use the given vertical component of the velocity, Vy = -24.5 m/s.
The magnitude of a velocity vector refers to the speed without direction.
Here, since the velocity is directly down towards the floor (negative direction), to get the magnitude, we simply take the absolute value of Vy, which gives us 24.5 m/s.
The velocity's direction has been referenced as negative because it is downward, but the magnitude, being a scalar quantity, is always positive.
Thus, the magnitude of the vertical component of the book's velocity just before it reaches the floor is 24.5 m/s.