> I can't think of a comparable origin for Q, unless maybe from Latin
> quantum or a related Latin word, as in "quantity" or "how much",
> perhaps meant to refer to the fact that measurements made by physicists,
> chemists, engineers, carpenters, etc., generally turn out to be rational
> numbers.
Q is not just for "quantite/" but for "quotient", after all. The
etymology seems obvious, even for the French.
Ralph A. Raimi Tel. 716 275 4429 or (home) 716 244 9368
Dept. of Mathematics FAX 716 244 6631
University of Rochester Webpage http://www.math.rochester.edu/u/rarm
Rochester, NY 14627 (Webpage contains links to papers)