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First, let me point out that = is shorthand for Set and := for SetDelayed; this facilitates searching the docs. Also, as Simon Woods points out in a comment to the question, there is a tutorial on this.

A simple way to avoid this is to simply use a formal symbol:

As a final note, one may combine Set and SetDelayed to implement memoization. Here is how to calculate a Fibonacci number recursively, with

First, let me point out that = is shorthand for Set and := for SetDelayed; this facilitates searching the docs. Also, as Simon Woods points out in a comment to the question, there is a tutorial on this.

A simple way to avoid this is to simply use a formal symbol:

As a final note, one may combine Set and SetDelayed to implement memoization. Here is how to calculate a Fibonacci number recursively, with

memoization. The idea behind this is explained, for instance, here or here. You can also find some elaborations here.

memoization. The idea behind this is explained, for instance, here or here. You can also find some elaborations here.

A direct way to avoid this is to simply Clear the symbols that will be used as pattern names from the global context (ie, do ClearAll[x] in this example).

A simple way to avoid this is to simply use a formal symbol:

h[\[FormalX]_] = Sin[\[FormalX]]

which looks like this in the FrontEnd: