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 be dividend, so is unity to the quotient.—Thus the quotient of 12 divided by 3 is 4; which is thus disposed, 3) 12 (4 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 camulated with the tip a little elevated towards the palate. In Greek words it is frequently aspirated with an h after it, as in rhapsody, 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 gerenda 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 R̄, for 80,000; but the Greek ρ, with a small mark over it, signified 100; with the same mark under it, it denoted 1000 X 10; thus ρ signifies 100,000. In the Hebrew numeration ρ denoted 200; and with two horizontal points over it 1000 X 200; thus ρ = 200,000.

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