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Constant

is an attribute that indicates zero derivative of a symbol with respect to all parameters.

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Constant

Constant

is an attribute that indicates zero derivative of a symbol with respect to all parameters.

Details

  • Constant is used by Dt.
  • Functions f[…] are taken to have zero total derivative if f has attribute Constant.
  • Mathematical constants such as Pi have attribute Constant.

Examples

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Basic Examples  (2)

π is a mathematical constant representing a number:

Wolfram Language code: Attributes[π]

π is not explicitly a number:

Wolfram Language code: NumberQ[π]

π is numeric and evaluates to a number with N:

Wolfram Language code: NumericQ[π]
Wolfram Language code: N[π, 32]

Define f to be a constant function for total derivatives computed with Dt:

Wolfram Language code: SetAttributes[f, Constant]
Wolfram Language code: Dt[g[x, y] f[x, y]]

Scope  (2)

The built-in system mathematical constants:

Wolfram Language code: constants = Map[ToExpression, Select[Names["System`*"], MemberQ[Attributes[#], Constant]&]]

They are all NumericQ:

Wolfram Language code: Map[NumericQ, constants]

They all represent exact values that can be evaluated to numbers of any precision with N:

Wolfram Language code: TableForm[Table[{c, N[c], N[c, 24]}, {c, constants}]]

Define f locally to be a constant function:

Wolfram Language code: Block[{f}, SetAttributes[f, Constant];Dt[g[f[x, y], x, y]]]

This does not affect subsequent computations with Dt:

Wolfram Language code: Dt[g[f[x, y], x, y]]

Using the Constants option in Dt is similar, but has completely unambiguous output:

Wolfram Language code: Dt[g[f[x, y], x, y], Constants -> f]
Wolfram Research (1988), Constant, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Constant.html.

Text

Wolfram Research (1988), Constant, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Constant.html.

CMS

Wolfram Language. 1988. "Constant." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Constant.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (1988). Constant. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Constant.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2026_constant, author="Wolfram Research", title="{Constant}", year="1988", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Constant.html}", note=[Accessed: 13-June-2026]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2026_constant, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={Constant}, year={1988}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Constant.html}, note=[Accessed: 13-June-2026]}