"number of times one quantity is contained in another," mid-15c., from Latin quotiens "how often? how many times?; as often as," pronomial adverb of time, from quot "how many?" (see quote (v.)). The Latin adverb quotiens was mistaken in Middle English for a present participle in -ens.
quotient quo·tient (kwō'shənt)
n.
The number obtained by dividing one quantity by another.
The number obtained by dividing one number (the "numerator") by another (the "denominator"). If both numbers are rational then the result will also be rational.