catflap.org Online Dictionary Query

  coefficient of X
       
          Hackish speech makes heavy use of pseudo-mathematical
          metaphors.  Four particularly important ones involve the terms
          "coefficient", "factor", "index", and "quotient".  They are
          often loosely applied to things you cannot really be
          quantitative, but there are subtle distinctions among them
          that convey information about the way the speaker mentally
          models whatever he or she is describing.
       
          "Foo factor" and "foo quotient" tend to describe something for
          which the issue is one of presence or absence.  The canonical
          example is fudge factor.  It's not important how much you're
          fudging; the term simply acknowledges that some fudging is
          needed.  You might talk of liking a movie for its silliness
          factor.  Quotient tends to imply that the property is a ratio
          of two opposing factors: "I would have won except for my luck
          quotient."  This could also be "I would have won except for
          the luck factor", but using *quotient* emphasises that it was
          bad luck overpowering good luck (or someone else's good luck
          overpowering your own).
       
          "Foo index" and "coefficient of foo" both tend to imply that
          foo is, if not strictly measurable, at least something that
          can be larger or smaller.  Thus, you might refer to a paper or
          person as having a "high bogosity index", whereas you would be
          less likely to speak of a "high bogosity factor".  "Foo index"
          suggests that foo is a condensation of many quantities, as in
          the mundane cost-of-living index; "coefficient of foo"
          suggests that foo is a fundamental quantity, as in a
          coefficient of friction.  The choice between these terms is
          often one of personal preference; e.g. some people might feel
          that bogosity is a fundamental attribute and thus say
          "coefficient of bogosity", whereas others might feel it is a
          combination of factors and thus say "bogosity index".
       
          [{Jargon File]
       
          (1994-11-29)
       
       

  coefficient of X n. Hackish speech makes heavy use of
     pseudo-mathematical metaphors. Four particularly important ones involve
     the terms `coefficient', `factor', `index of X', and `quotient'. They
     are often loosely applied to things you cannot really be quantitative
     about, but there are subtle distinctions among them that convey
     information about the way the speaker mentally models whatever he or she
     is describing.
  
     `Foo factor' and `foo quotient' tend to describe something for which
     the issue is one of presence or absence. The canonical example is fudge
     factor. It's not important how much you're fudging; the term simply
     acknowledges that some fudging is needed. You might talk of liking a
     movie for its silliness factor. Quotient tends to imply that the
     property is a ratio of two opposing factors: "I would have won except
     for my luck quotient." This could also be "I would have won except for
     the luck factor", but using _quotient_ emphasizes that it was bad luck
     overpowering good luck (or someone else's good luck overpowering your
     own).
  
     `Foo index' and `coefficient of foo' both tend to imply that foo is,
     if not strictly measurable, at least something that can be larger or
     smaller. Thus, you might refer to a paper or person as having a `high
     bogosity index', whereas you would be less likely to speak of a `high
     bogosity factor'. `Foo index' suggests that foo is a condensation of
     many quantities, as in the mundane cost-of-living index; `coefficient of
     foo' suggests that foo is a fundamental quantity, as in a coefficient of
     friction. The choice between these terms is often one of personal
     preference; e.g., some people might feel that bogosity is a fundamental
     attribute and thus say `coefficient of bogosity', whereas others might
     feel it is a combination of factors and thus say `bogosity index'.