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Suppose $K=1+a+a^2[C-b\ln (q^2/{\mu }^2)]$, with $da/d\ln {\mu }^2=-b{a}^2$. Differentiation gives $dK/d\ln {\mu }^2=-2b{a}^3[C-b\ln (q^2/{\mu }^2)]$. For nonzero $a,b$, the principle of minimal sensitivity therefore gives $\boxed{{\mu }_{\ast }^2=q^2{e}^{-C/b}}$. The derivative vanishes identically through order $a^2$: this prescription retains the residual $a^3$ term generated by one-loop running of the truncated expression. Higher-order running and coefficients can shift the stationary scale. For $b=0$ or $a=0$, no unique scale is selected.

Set $a={\alpha }_s({\mu }^2)/\pi$, $b={\beta }_0/4$, $C=1.99-0.11n_f$ and $L=\ln {\mu }^2$, treating $n_f$ as fixed. The notation ${\alpha }_s({\mu }^2)$ means the coupling evaluated at energy scale $\mu$, using the squared-scale label. The one-loop running of the strong coupling gives $da/dL=-b{a}^2$. Write $\ell =\ln (q^2/{\mu }^2)$, so $d\ell /dL=-1$ andDifferentiating both explicit and implicit scale dependence givesFor nonzero coupling and ${\beta }_0\ne 0$, the principle of minimal sensitivity applied to this truncated expression with one-loop running therefore selectsThis is the one-loop stationary scale for the hadronic annihilation correction. For five active flavours it is approximately ${\mu }_{\ast }^2=0.472q^2$, or ${\mu }_{\ast }=0.687\sqrt{q^2}$. It is meaningful within a fixed-flavour perturbative region; crossing a threshold requires the appropriate matched coupling.

The derivative cancels identically through order $a^2$. The prescription retains the residual order-$a^3$ term generated by differentiating the truncated observable with the one-loop running. If one instead discards every order-$a^3$ contribution, no unique scale is determined: every scale is stationary to the retained accuracy. Two-loop running and uncomputed higher observable coefficients can shift the optimum. For ${\beta }_0=0$, or the trivial $a=0$ limit, this leading approximation likewise selects no unique scale.