Definition
Quotient
A quotient is the result of dividing one value by another value that is not zero.
What it means
Division can split a quantity into equal shares or count how many equal groups fit. The quotient tells the size of each share or the number of groups, depending on the question.
Remember it
Dividend divided by divisor gives quotient.
Example
Seventy-two stickers are shared equally among 9 folders. Since 72 ÷ 9 = 8, the quotient is 8 stickers per folder.
Watch for
Division by zero has no quotient in ordinary arithmetic, so the divisor must not be zero.
Common mix-up
A remainder is what is left after whole-number grouping; it is not the quotient itself.
Exact meaning
For a dividend a and a nonzero divisor b, the quotient is a ÷ b, also written a/b. It may be a whole number, fraction, decimal, or algebraic expression.