What is a coefficient?????

Question

bibby · Answer

the 6 in $\large 6x^2$

the 3 in $3x$

anonymous · Answer

This may help: http://www.mathsisfun.com/definitions/coefficient.html

ganeshie8 · Answer

http://prntscr.com/4fskyd

ganeshie8 · Answer

$$\huge \color{Red}{5}x$$

Based on etymology i think it goes something like this :
When we are not able to express some physical situation by using just a variable $\large x$, we can attach a constant ($\large  \color{red}{5}$ here) to the variable, which  $co$operates in accomplishing($efficient$) a correct result :  $\large  \color{Red}{5}x$.

 So we call $\large \color{red}{5}$ the $co-efficeint$

ganeshie8 · Answer

See http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/907260/what-is-the-history-behind-the-development-of-the-term-coefficient