Documentation

Mathematica Teacher's Edition

Built-in Functions

Programming

Pattern Matching

Condition

patt /; test is a pattern which matches only if the evaluation of test yields True.
lhs :> rhs /; test represents a rule which applies only if the evaluation of test yields True.
lhs := rhs /; test is a definition to be used only if test yields True.

Example: The pattern x_ /; x > 0 represents an expression which must be positive.
All pattern variables used in test must also appear in patt.
Example: f[x_] := fp[x] /; x > 1 defines a function in the case when .
lhs := Module[vars, rhs /; test] allows local variables to be shared between test and rhs.
See The Mathematica Book on the web: Section 2.3.5 and Section 2.5.8.
See also: If, Switch, Which, PatternTest, Element.

Further Examples