in arithmetic, the number resulting from the division of a greater number by a smaller; and which shows how often the smaller is contained in the greater, or how often the divisor is contained in the dividend. The word is formed from the Latin quoties; q. d. How often is such a number contained in such another?

In division, as the divisor is to the dividend, so is unity to the quotient.—Thus the quotient of 12 divided by 3 is 4; which is thus disposed, 3) 12 (quotient. See Arithmetic.

R.

R, or r, a liquid consonant, being the 17th letter of our alphabet. Its sound is formed by a guttural extrusion of the breath vibrated through the mouth, with a sort of quivering motion of the tongue drawn from the teeth, and culminated with the tip a little elevated towards the palate. In Greek words it is frequently aspirated with an h after it, as in rhaptoody, rhetoric, &c., otherwise it is always followed by a vowel at the beginning of words and syllables.

In the notes of the ancients, R. or RO. signifies Roma; R. C. Romana civitas; R. G. C. rei gerendae causa; R. F. E. D. recte factum et dictum; R. G. F. regis filius; R. P. res publica, or Romani principes; and R. R. R. F. F. F. res Romana ruet ferro, fane, flamma.

Used as a numeral, R anciently stood for 80; and with a dash over it, thus R, for 80,000; but the Greek r, with a small mark over it, signified 100; with the same mark under it, it denoted 1000 X 100; thus r signified 100,000. In the Hebrew numeration r denoted 200; and with two horizontal points over it 1000 X 200; thus r = 200,000.

In the prescriptions of physicians, R or R, stands for recipe, i.e. "take."