Quotient
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In mathematics, a quotient is the end result of a division problem. For example, in the problem 6 ÷ 3, the quotient would be 2, while 6 would be called the dividend, and 3 the divisor. The quotient can also be expressed as the number of times the divisor divides into the dividend.
A quotient can also mean just the integral part of the result of dividing two integers. For example, the quotient of 13 ÷ 5 would be 2 while the remainder would be 3. For more, see the division algorithm.
In more abstract branches of mathematics, the word quotient is often used to describe sets, spaces, or algebraic structures whose elements are the equivalence classes of some equivalence relation on another set, space, or algebraic structure. See:
- quotient set
- quotient group
- quotient ring
- quotient space (linear algebra)
- quotient space of a topological space
- quotient object
- right quotient and left quotient (operations on formal languages)
The quotient rule is a method for finding derivatives in calculus.
Quotients also come up in certain tests, like the IQ test, which stands for intelligence quotient. In this case, your quotient is basically your score. In recent decades, as people begin to emphasize on full personal development, other similar quotients appeared. These include moral quotient, emotional quotient, adversity quotient, creativity quotient, etc.
