Arizona State University (ASU) CSE240 Introduction to Programming Languages Midterm Practice Exam

The concept of a variable that represents a single value that does not change is fundamentally linked to the properties of constants in programming. A constant variable, unlike a mutable or dynamic variable, is defined in such a way that its value is bound at the time of declaration and cannot be altered thereafter during the program's execution. This characteristic makes constants particularly useful for values that should remain fixed, such as mathematical constants (e.g., Pi) or configuration settings.

While mutable variables can change their values and are often used in scenarios where data needs to be updated during runtime, they do not fit the description of representing a single, unchanging value. Similarly, dynamic variables are mutable in nature; they may change over time as their state is affected by operations in the program.

Immutable variables may be a close concept, particularly in languages that have distinct data types where immutability is a feature (like strings in some languages). However, the most accurate term in the context of representing an unchanging value is a constant variable. This clarity is important in programming as it helps prevent accidental modifications and assists in maintaining code integrity.