To find the magnitude of a vector in 2D or 3D, the formula involves the components Vx and Vy, with the assumption that Vz is zero if not provided. The equation for magnitude is derived from the Pythagorean theorem, where magnitude = √(Vx² + Vy²) for 2D, and √(Vx² + Vy² + Vz²) for 3D. In this case, since Vz is assumed to be zero, the calculations yield the same result regardless of whether the context is 2D or 3D. The discussion emphasizes that knowing the dimension is important, but the absence of a Vz value simplifies the situation. Thus, the magnitude can be calculated effectively using the given components.