noun

quotient

KWOH-shuhnt

Quotient (noun) means the result you get when one number is divided by another. Example: “Divide 45 by 9 and the quotient is 5.”

noun

The result you get when one number is divided by another.

"Divide 45 by 9 and the quotient is 5."

"In long division, write the quotient above the line and the remainder beside it."

A measure of how much of a particular quality something or someone has, usually stated as a score or ratio.

"The film has a high schmaltz quotient."

"Recruiters now talk about emotional quotient as much as IQ."

How to Use Quotient

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe answer you get from dividing one number by another.

When to use it

Technical in maths; figurative use is casual and journalistic.

Memory tip

The number being divided is the dividend, the one you divide by is the divisor, and the answer is the quotient.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

product → dividend → divisor remainder →

Common pairings

the quotient of intelligence quotient emotional quotient high fear quotient

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

Divide 45 by 9 and the _____ is 5.

Etymology

From Latin quotiens 'how many times', from quot 'how many'.

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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result answer level degree index measure

Related Words

time even point level story action list result

Rhymes for quotient

client orient ancient patient salient ambient lenient obedient nutrient gradient sentient ebullient

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a quotient and a product?

A quotient is what division gives you; a product is what multiplication gives you. In 12 ÷ 4 = 3, the quotient is 3; in 12 × 4 = 48, the product is 48.

Is the remainder part of the quotient?

No. In whole-number division the quotient is the number of complete times the divisor fits, and anything left over is the remainder. So 17 ÷ 5 gives a quotient of 3 and a remainder of 2.

What does quotient mean in IQ and EQ?

It is the ratio sense: intelligence quotient was originally a score divided by an expected score for that age, then multiplied by 100. Modern IQ and EQ tests are scaled differently, but the word quotient has stuck as a label for a measured level of a quality.

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