# Declaring a positive variable [duplicate]

This question already has an answer here:

Why I have this behaviour?

R /: Greater[R, 0] = True
R > 0
=> True
Simplify[Sqrt[R^2]]
=> Sqrt[R^2]


I expect R as last result.

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## marked as duplicate by Leonid Shifrin, Jens, The Toad♦Mar 16 '13 at 17:19

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You have to use assumptions: Simplify[Sqrt[R^2], Assumptions :> R > 0]. –  Leonid Shifrin Mar 16 '13 at 15:14
@LeonidShifrin: No way to say that R is positive once for all? –  enzotib Mar 16 '13 at 15:26
@LeonidShifrin: thanks for pointing to that question –  enzotib Mar 16 '13 at 15:31
It's definitely best to work with \$Assumptions, but if for some reason you don't want that, and want to avoid Simplify, then you could also just define R = Abs[r]. –  Jens Mar 16 '13 at 15:42

## 1 Answer

One way to do this would be to keep a list of assumptions for your system, i.e.

assumptions = {R >= 0};
Simplify[Sqrt[R^2], Assumptions -> assumptions]


which returns R as expected.

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There is no way to attach that information to R, so to avoid to recall the Assumptions option each time? –  enzotib Mar 16 '13 at 15:19