Term that refers to a special number (coefficient, ratio, etc.).
In a mathematical expression, a number that does not have a variable or that has a zero-degree monomial also is called a constant.
Examples
- In the expression y = mx + b, parameter b is a constant.
- The ratio of the lengths of the corresponding segments of similar figures is a constant.
- In the polynomial expression P(x) = 2x³ + 4x² – 7x + 12, the number 12 is a constant or a constant term, as it is a coefficient with a monomial of x0 whose value is 1.