Quotient - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

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SKIP TO CONTENT quotient /ˈkwoʊʃənt/ /ˈkwʌʊʃənt/ IPA guide

Other forms: quotients

When you add two numbers the answer is called the sum. When you divide two numbers the answer is called the quotient. The quotient of six divided by two is three.

Quotient comes from Latin and means "how many times." That makes a lot of sense: if you divide one number by a second, you are figuring out "how many times" the second number goes into the first. Outside of math, use of the word is restricted: the IQ test is short for "Intelligence Quotient," and very rarely you might hear someone ask, "What's my quotient of cupcakes?" when they mean "What is my share?"

Definitions of quotient

noun the number obtained by division see moresee less type of: number a concept of quantity involving zero and units
noun the ratio of two quantities to be divided see moresee less types: show 9 types... hide 9 types... proportion the quotient obtained when the magnitude of a part is divided by the magnitude of the whole case-fatality proportion the number of cases of a disease ending in death divided by the number of cases of the disease; usually expressed as a percentage or as the number of deaths per 1000 cases case-to-infection proportion, case-to-infection ratio the number of cases of a disease divided by the number of infections with the agent that causes the disease content the proportion of a substance that is contained in a mixture or alloy etc. rate a quantity or amount or measure considered as a proportion of another quantity or amount or measure scale the ratio between the size of something and a representation of it golden mean, golden section the proportional relation between two divisions of line or two dimension of a plane figure such that short : long :: long : (short + long) pct, per centum, percent, percentage a proportion in relation to a whole (which is usually the amount per hundred) batting average (an extension of the baseball term) the proportion of times some effort succeeds type of: ratio the relative magnitudes of two quantities (usually expressed as a quotient)

Pronunciation US /ˈkwoʊʃənt/ UK /ˈkwʌʊʃənt/ Cite this entry Style: MLA

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Vocabulary lists containing quotient

Arithmetic view more about the vocabulary list

The Number System view more about the vocabulary list

The ACT Math Test: Number and Quantity

Review these terms and concepts that may be tested on the ACT Math Test.

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