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.

