Definition:Quotient

Arithmetic
Let $/$ denote the operation of Division on a standard number field $\Q$, $\R$ or $\C$.

Let $q = p / d$.

Then $q$ is the quotient of $p$ (divided) by $q$.

Algebra

 * The quotient of $a$ on division by $b$ is the unique number $q$ such that $a = q b + r, 0 \le r < \size b$ (see the Division Theorem).

Set theory

 * Quotient Set: The set $S / \RR$ of $\RR$-classes of an equivalence relation $\RR$ of a set $S$.


 * Quotient Mapping: The mapping $q_\RR: S \to S / \RR$ defined as $\map {q_\RR} s = \eqclass s \RR$.

Abstract Algebra
The concepts here, although presented in different forms, are all related.


 * Quotient Structure: If $\RR$ is a congruence for $\circ$ on an algebraic structure $\struct {S, \circ}$, and $\circ_\RR$ is the operation induced on $S / \RR$ by $\circ$, then $\struct {S / \RR, \circ_\RR}$ is the quotient structure defined by $\RR$.


 * Quotient Group: The coset space $G / N$, where $N$ is a normal subgroup of a group $G$, and the group operation is defined as $\paren {a N} \paren {b N} = \paren {a b} N$ is called the quotient group of $G$ by $N$.


 * Quotient Ring: $\struct {R / J, +, \circ}$ is the quotient ring of a ring $\struct {R, +, \circ}$ and an ideal $J$.


 * Quotient Field: $\struct {F, +, \circ}$ is a quotient field of an integral domain $\struct {D, +, \circ}$ $\struct {F, +, \circ}$ contains $\struct {D, +, \circ}$ algebraically such that:
 * $\forall z \in F: \exists x \in D, y \in D^*: z = \dfrac x y$
 * where $\dfrac x y$ is $x$ divided by $y$.

Topology
Let $\struct {X, \tau}$ be a topological space.

Let $\RR \subseteq X^2$ be an equivalence relation on $X$.

Let $q_\RR: X \to X / \RR$ be the quotient mapping induced by $\RR$.


 * The Quotient Space is the quotient set $X / \RR$ whose topology $\tau_{X / \RR}$ is defined as $U \in \tau_{X / \RR} \iff q_\RR^{-1} \sqbrk U \in \tau$.


 * The Quotient Topology on $X / \RR$ by $q_\RR$ is the topology $\tau_{X / \RR}$, also called the identification topology.