Equation 6 · Part 3 · The Token Tax of Giving a Model More Tools
Symbol tau_0
What this part means
the tool-independent charge.
Its job in the formula
ta is a part of this expression. Its role is fixed by the surrounding article and by the operations shown in the formula.
Full expression→Symbol tau_0→Article meaning
Where the article explains it
Call this fixed, tool-independent charge .
The passage around this formula
which, if schemas run at roughly a uniform average size , simplifies to T(n) + n . Nothing about this term depends on whether the model calls any tool at all; it is the price of the menu, not the price of the order. And critically, because a stateless inference API resends its full input on every request, T(n) is not paid once at the start of a session — it is paid again, in full, on every single turn for as long as tools remain attached to the request.
Learn the underlying idea
A subscript is a label attached below a symbol. It often selects a time step, component, category, or member of a sequence.
Open the illustrated subscripts: which member of a family? guide →
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Sources cited in the article section
- [4] Pricing ↗
- [6] Function Calling ↗
- [5] Introducing Advanced Tool Use on the Claude Developer Platform ↗
These citations provide research context; check each source for the exact claim it supports.