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5.2: The number e.

( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)

The implication

 For E(t)=BtE(t)=E(0)×E(t)

would be even simpler if we find a value for B so that E(0)=1. We next find such a value for B. It is universally denoted by e and

e is approximately 2.71828182845904523536;e is not a rational number. 

Then for E(t)=et, E(0)=1 so that E(t)=E(0)E(t)=1×E(t)=e(t).

Thus[et]=et,a very important result.

Our goal is to find a base, e, so that

[et]|t=0=1

Because

[2t]|t=00.69341 and [3t]|t=01.098612,

we think the base e that we seek is between 2 and 3 and perhaps closer to 3 than to 2.

5-2.JPG

Figure 5.2.1: Graphs of exponential functions, y=2t, and y=3t and segments of the tangents for each. The tangents have slopes approximately 0.69341 and 1.098612, respectively.

Explore 5.2.1

[et]|t=0=1 and et|t=0=1

and the line of slope 1 through (0,1) is tangent to the graph of y=et. Draw a line of slope 1 through the point (0,1). Then draw a graph of an exponential function whose tangent at (0,1) is the line you drew. Compare your graph with those in Figure 5.2.1.

Assuming that

[et]|t=0=1, it must be that limh0ehe0h=limh0eh1h=1

Intuitively then, for h close to zero,

eh1h1,eh1h,eh1+h,e(1+h)1h

We will use this to explore e, and in Subsection 5.2.1 we will find that

e=limh0(1+h)1h

Values of (1+h)1h for progressively smaller values of h are shown in Table 5.2. As h>0 decreases toward 0, (1+h)1h increases. We show in Subsection 5.2.1 that (1+h)1h approaches a number as h approaches 0, and we denote that number by e.

Explore 5.2.2 Compute A=(1+h)1/h for h = 0.0001, h = 0.00001, and h = 0.000001.

Your last estimate of A should be approximately 2.71828047, which is an estimate correct to 6 digits of the irrational number e that we are seeking.

Table 5.2: Approximations to the number e. As h moves toward 0, A=(1+h)1/h increases toward e.
h A=(1+h)1/h
1.000 2.00000
0.500 2.25000
0.200 2.48832
0.100 2.59374
0.050 2.65329
0.010 2.70481
0.005 2.71152
0.001 2.71692
0 e

Definition 5.2.1 The number e

The number e is defined by

limh0(1+h)1h=e

Correct to 21 digits, e = 2.71828 18284 59045 23536

We show in Subsection 5.2.1 that if h=1n for n an integer greater than 2

(1+h)1h<e<(1+h1h)1h,

and we assume the inequalities are valid for all 0<h<1/2. Using these inequalities it is easy to show that the function E(t)=et has the property that E(0)=1.

We write, for 0<h<1/2,

(1+h)1h<e<(1+h1h)1h1+h<eh<1+h1hh<eh1<h1h1<eh1h<11h As h01E(0)1

Thus for E(t)=et, E(0)=1.

Because of Theorem 5.1.1, E(t)=E(0)×E(t)=et, we have another Primary Formula for computing derivatives:

[et]=et Exponential Rule 

Strategy for computing derivatives: Now we can use three Primary Formulas (Constant, Power, Exponential) and three Composition Formulas (Sum, Constant Factor, Power Chain) to compute derivatives. In finding derivatives of functions with many terms, students sometimes ask what derivative rule to use first and in subsequent steps. We think of the derivative procedure as peeling the layers off of an onion – outside layer first, etc. For example, to compute the derivative of F(t)=(2+3t2+5et)3 we write:

F(t)=[(2+3t2+5et)3] Symbolic Identity =3(2+3t2+5et)2[2+3t2+5et] Power Chain Rule =3(2+3t2+5et)2([2]+[3t2]+[5et]) Sum Rule =3(2+3t2+5et)2(0+[3t2]+[5et]) Constant Rule =3(2+3t2+5et)2(3[t2]+5[et]) Constant Factor Rule =3(2+3t2+5et)2(3(2t)+5[et]) Power Rule =3(2+3t2+5et)2(6t+5et) Exponential Rule }

Think how the expression for F in the previous example, F(t)=(2+3t2+5et)3, is evaluated. Given a value for t you would compute t2 and multiply it by 3 and you would compute et and multiply it by 5, and then you would sum the three terms. The last step (outside layer) in the evaluation is to cube the sum. The first step in computing the derivative is to 'undo' that cube (use the Power Chain Rule).

The next step is to undo the sum with the Sum Rule. The next step is not uniquely determined; we worked from left to right and chose to evaluate [2].

In evaluating 3t2 and 5et, the last step would be to multiply by 3 or 5 – the first step in finding the derivative of 3t2 and 5et is to factor 3 and 5 from the derivative (Constant Factor Rule),

[3t2]=3[t2][5et]=5[et]

Finally the Primary Formulas for [t2] and [et] are used.

Usual course of events.

In computing derivatives, use the Composition Formulas first and the Primary Formulas last.

 

5.2.1 Proof that lim limh0(1+h)1/h exists.

Our goal is to prove that

limh0(1+h)1/h exists. 

We only consider the values of h for h=1n where n a positive integer, however, and show that

limn(1+1n)n exists. 

You may accept this information without proof and proceed to the section exercises. The material of this subsection is very important, however, and deserves your substantial independent effort.

Explore 5.2.3 Do this! Explain the MATLAB program and the graph it creates and their relevance to our goal.

Code 5.2.1 (MATLAB):

close all;clc;clear

h=[0.01:0.01:1];

y=(1+h).^(1./h);

plot(h, y, 'k', 'linewidth', 2)

hold('on')

For n = 1:8

z=(1+1/n)^n;

plot(1/n,z,’ks’,’linewidth’,2)

end

axis([0 1.1 1.8 3])

5-2-3.JPG

The graph in Explore 5.2.3 may convince you that limh0(1+h)1/h exists and that there is nothing left to prove. But it is the existence of a number that is the limit that is in question and that existence requires a crucial property of the number system called completeness.

Axiom 5.2.1 Completeness property of the number system.

If S1 and S2 are two sets of numbers and

  1. Every number belongs to either S1 or S2, and
  2. Every number of S1 is less than every number of S2,

then there is a number C such that C is either the largest number of S1 or C is the least number of S2.

The statement of the Completeness Axiom by Richard Dedekind in 1872 greatly increased our understanding of the number system. In this text, the word 'set' means a nonempty set.

As noted above, we only consider values of h=1/n where n is a positive integer and we define

sn=(1+1n)n and prove that limnsn exists. 

That a sequence of numbers s1,s2,s3 is bounded means that an open interval (A,B)1 contains every number in s1,s2,s3; A is called a lower bound and B is called an upper bound of s1,s2,s3.

The sequence {1,4,9,16,25,} has no upper bound and is not bounded. The sequence {1,12,13,14,} is bounded by the numbers 0 and 2. The sequence {1,2,3,4,5,6,} has neither a lower bound nor an upper bound and is not bounded.

For this section we prove:

Theorem 5.2.1 If s1s2s3 is a bounded nondecreasing sequence of numbers there is a number s such that limnsn=s.

To prove Theorem 5.2.1 we need a clear definition of limit of a sequence.

Definition 5.2.2 A number s is the limit of a number sequence s1,s2,s3 means that if (u,v) is an open interval containing s there is a positive integer N such that if n is an integer greater than N, sn is in (u,v). It is sometimes said that s1,s2,s3 converges to s or approaches s.

Example 5.2.1 The limit of the sequence {1,12,13,14,} is zero. If (u,v) contains 0, v is greater than zero and there is2 a positive integer N that is greater than 1/v. Therefore, if n>N, n>1/v so that 1/n<v, and u<0<1/n<v, so 1n is in (u,v)).

Proof of Theorem 5.2.1. Suppose s1,s2,s3 is a nondecreasing sequence bounded by A and B. Let S1 be the set of numbers x for which some number of s1,s2,s3 is greater than x. A is a member of S1 and B is not a member of S1. Let S2 denote all of the numbers not in S1 Clearly every number is in either S1 or S2.

To use the Completeness Axiom we must show that every number of S1 is less than every number of S2. Suppose not; suppose there is a number x of S1 that is greater than a number y of S2. Then x has the property that some number, sn, say of \(s_{1}, s_{2), s_{3} \cdots\) is greater than x and y is not in S1 so no number of s1,s2,s3 is greater than y. However, the supposition that y<x and x<sn, leads to y<sn which is a contradiction. Therefore every number of S1 is less than every number of S2.

By the Completeness Axiom, either S1 has a largest number or S2 has a least number. Suppose S1 has a largest number, L1. By definition of S1 there is a member sn of s1,s2,s3 greater than L1. Now L1+sn2 is less than sn so L1+sn2 is in L1. But L1+sn2 is greater than L1 so L1 is not the largest member of S1, which is a contradiction; S1 does not have a largest number. Therefore S2 must have a least number, L2.

We prove that s1,s2,s3 approaches L2. Suppose (u,v) is an open interval containing L2. Then u is less than L2 so belongs to S1 and there is a number, SN in s1,s2,s3 that is greater than u. Because s1,s2,s3 is increasing, if n is greater than N, SNsn. No number of s1,s2,s3 is greater than L2. Therefore if n is greater than N,

u<sNsn<L2<v

and the definition that s1,s2,s3 approaches L2 is satisfied.

End of proof.

Example 5.2.2 We can use Theorem 5.2.1 to show a useful result, that if a is a number and 0<a<1, then the sequence xn=an converges to zero.

Proof. We assume the alternate version of Theorem 5.2.1 that If s1s2s3 is a bounded nonincreasing sequence of numbers there is a number s such that limnsn=s

Because 0<a<1 and xn=anxn+1=axn and xn+1<xn, and it follows that xn is a nonincreasing (actually decreasing) sequence. Then {xn} approaches the greatest lower bound, s of {xn}.

If s<0, then (2s,0) is an open interval containing s and there is a number, xm in {xn} in (2s,0). Then xm=am is negative which is a contradiction.

Suppose s>0. Because 0<a<1), the number s/a is greater than s and there is a number, xm in {xn} such that xm<sa. Because s is a lower bound on {xn}, sxm. Then

sxm<s/a,sam<s/a,sa<am+1<s,xm+1<s

But this contradicts the condition that s is a lower bound on {xn}.

We conclude that s, the greatest lower bound on {xn}, is zero and {xn} converges to 0.

Now to the number, e. We are to show that limn(1+1n)n exists. We will show that

  1. The sequence sn=(1+1n)n is an increasing sequence.
  2. The sequence tn=(1+1n1)n,n>1, is a decreasing sequence.
  3. For every n>1,sn<tn.
  4. As n increases without bound, tnsn approaches 0.

Conditions 1 and 3 show that s1<s2<s3< is a bounded increasing sequence and therefore approaches a number s. That number s is the number we denote by e. Conditions 2 and 3 show that t1>t2>t3> is a bounded decreasing sequence and it follows from Theorem 5.2.13 that there is a number t such that t1>t2>t3> converges to t By condition 4 above, t=s.

The proofs of conditions 3 and 4 above are left as exercises. Our argument for conditions 1 and 2 is that of N. S. Mendelsohn4 based on the following theorem. The theorem is of general interest and we prove it in Subsection 8.1.2, independently of the work in this section.

Theorem 5.2.2 If a1,a2,an is a sequence of n positive numbers then

a1+a2+annna1a2an

with equality only when a1=a2==an.

The left side of inequality 5.7 is the arithmetic mean and the right side is the geometric mean of a1,a2,,an. The theorem states that the arithmetic mean is greater than or equal to the geometric mean.

  1. Proof that (1+1n)n is increasing. Consider the set of n+1 numbers 1,1+1n,1+1n1+1n They are not all equal and they have an arithmetic mean of 1+1/(n+1) and a geometric mean of (1×(1+1/n)n)1/(n+1). Then 1+1n+1>((1+1/n)n)1/(n+1) or (1+1n+1)n+1>(1+1/n)n Hence sn+1>sn and the sequence s1,s2, is increasing.
  2. Proof that (1+1n1)n is decreasing. Consider the set of n+1 numbers 1,11n,11n11n They have an arithmetic mean of n/(n+1) and a geometric mean of (1×((n1)/n)n)1/(n+1) and nn+1>(n1n)n/(n+1) By taking reciprocals this becomes n+1n<(nn1)n/(n+1) or (1+1(n+1)1)n+1<(1+1n1)n It follows that tn+1<tn and t1,t2, is decreasing. End of proof.

We have shown that limn(1+1n)n=e We claim the more general result that limh0(1+h)1/h=e. We are encouraged to this claim by an identification of h=1/n, but there are other values of h to consider that are not reciprocals of integers. You will show in Exercise 12.2.5 that the slope of the graph in Explore 5.2.3 is negative and this provides a way to complete the proof that limh0(1+h)1/h=e. In the suggested solution to that exercise, [lnu(x)] is used. log10u(x) could be used equally well, so that the argument is not dependent on the number e.

Explore 5.2.4 Explain the MATLAB program and the graph it creates and their relevance to the previous paragraph.

Code 5.2.1 (MATLAB):

close all;clc;clear

h=[0.01:0.01:1];

N=[10, 11, 13,17,20,25,33,50,100];

F=0*h;

for i = 1:9

F(N(i))=1;

end

plot(h, F, 'kd', 'linewidth', 2)

axis([0 1.1 -0.1 1.1])

5-2-4.JPG

Exercises for Section 5.2, The number e.

Exercise 5.2.1 Derivatives of functions are computed below. Identify the rule used in each step. In a few steps the rule is an algebraic rule of exponents and not a derivative rule.

  1. [5t47et][5t4][7et]5[t4]7[et]5×4t37[et]5×4t37×et
  2. [(1+et)8]8(1+et)7[1+et]8(1+et)7([1]+[et])8(1+et)7(0+[et])8(1+et)7(0+et)8et(1+et)7
  3. [e3t][(et)3]3(et)2[et]3(et)2×et3e2t×et3e3t

Exercise 5.2.2 Differentiate (means compute the derivative of) P. Use one rule for each step and identify the rule as, C (Constant Rule), tn (tn Rule), S (Sum Rule), CF (Constant Factor Rule), PC (Power Chain Rule), or E (Exponential Rule). For example,

[πt25(et)7]=[πt2][5(et)7]S=π[t2]5[(et)7]CF=π×(2)t35[(et)7]tn=2πt35(7)(et)6[et]PC=2πt335(et)6×etE=2πt335(et)7 Algebra 

  1. P(t)=5t2+32et
  2. P(t)=3(et)56t5
  3. P(t)=78(et)1
  4. P(t)=25+t3
  5. P(t)=t25+3e
  6. P(t)=4e+t57
  7. P(t)=1+t+t22et
  8. P(t)=(et)22+t33

Careful, the next two are easier than you might first think.

  1. P(t)=5e3
  2. P(t)=10×π2

Exercise 5.2.3 Draw the graphs of

y1(t)=ety2(t)=t2y3(t)=t3y4(t)=t41t5

The graphs are close together near t=0 and increase as t increases. Which one grows the most as t increases? Expand the domain and range to 1t10,0y25,000, and answer the same question.

Exercise 5.2.4 Draw the graphs of

y(t)=et and p(t)=1+t+t22+t36+t424

Set the domain and range to 1t2. and 0y8.

Exercise 5.2.5 We found a base e so that E(t)=et has the property that the rate of change of E at 0 is 1. Suppose we had searched for a number B so that the average rate of change of EB(t)=Bt on [0, 0.01] is 1:

m0,0.01=EB(0.01)EB(0)0.01=B0.01B00.01=B0.0110.01=1

  1. Solve the last equation for B.
  2. Solve for B in each of the equations: B0.00110.001=1B0.0000110.00001=1B0.000000110.0000001=1

Exercise 5.2.6 On a popular television business news channel, an analyst exclaimed that ”XXX stock has gone parabolic.” Is there some sense in which this exclamation is more exuberant than ”XXX stock has gone exponential?”

Exercise 5.2.7 Let y(x)=ex. Compute y(x),y(x)=(y), and y(x).

Exercise 5.2.8 We introduced the power chain rule [(u(x))n]=n(u(x))n1[u(x)] for fractional and negative exponents, n, in Section 4.3.1 (see Exercises 4.3.3 and 4.3.4). Use these rules when necessary in the following exercise.

Compute y(x) and y(x) for

  1. y(x)=x2+ex
  2. y(x)=3x2+2ex
  3. y(x)=(1+ex)2
  4. y(x)=(ex)2
  5. y(x)=e2x=(ex)2
  6. y(x)=ex=(ex)1
  7. y(x)=e3x=(ex)3
  8. y(x)=ex×e2x
  9. y(x)=(5+ex)3
  10. y(x)=11+ex=(1+ex)1
  11. y(x)=ex=(ex)12
  12. y(x)=e12x
  13. y(x)=e0.6x=(ex)0.6
  14. y(x)=e0.005x

Exercise 5.2.9 Identify the errors in the following derivative computations.

  1. [(t4+t1)7]7(t4+t1)6[t4+t1]7(t4+t1)6[t4]+[t1]7(t4+t1)64t3+(1)t228t3(t4+t1)6t2
  2. [5t7+7t5][5t7]+[7t5]5[t7]+7[t5]5×7t6+7×(5)t435(t6t4)
  3. [10t8+8e5t][10t8]+[8e5t]10[t8]+8[e5t]10×8t7+8×5e4t40(2t7+e4t)

Exercise 5.2.10 Locate the point (0, e) on the graph in Explore 5.2.3

Exercise 5.2.11 Use the Completeness Axiom 5.2.1 to show that the positive integers do not have an upper bound. (This is called the Archimedean Axiom).

Exercise 5.2.12 Argue that if S1 and S2 are two sets of numbers and every number is in either S1 or S2 and every number in S1 is less than every number in S2 then it is not true that there are numbers L1 and L2 such that L1 is the greatest number in S1 and L2 is the least number in S2. Is this a contradiction to the Completeness Axiom?

Exercise 5.2.13 Let S2 denote the points of the X-axis that have positive x-coordinate and S1 denote the points of the X-axis that do not belong to S2. Does S2 have a left most point?

Exercise 5.2.14 Suppose S2 is the set of numbers to which x belongs if and only if x is positive and x2>2 and S1 consists of all of the other numbers.

  1. Give an example of a number in S2.
  2. Give an example of a number in S1.
  3. Argue that every number in S1 is less than every number in S2.
  4. Which of the following two statements is true?
    1. There is a number C which is the largest number in S1.
    2. There is a number C which is the least number in S2.
  5. Identify the number C in the correct statement of the previous part.

Exercise 5.2.15 Suppose your number system is that of Early Greek mathematicians and includes only rational numbers. Does it satisfy the Axiom of Completion?

Exercise 5.2.16 Show that if n2 and sn=(1+1n)n and tn=(1+1n1)n then

  1. For every n sn<tn.
  2. Justify the steps (i) to (iv) in tnsn=(1+1n1)n(1+1n)n(i)=[(1+1n1)(1+1n)]×(ii)[(1+1n1)n1+(1+1n1)n2(1+1n)++(1+1n1)(1+1n)n2+(1+1n)n1]=≤1n(n1)×n×(1+1n1)n1(iii)=≤1n1×4(iv)
  3. As n increases without bound, tnsn approaches zero.

 

 

1 If A and B are numbers with A<B, the open interval (A,B) consists of all the numbers between A and B; the closed interval [A,B] consists of A, B, and all of the numbers between A and B.

2 This is called the Archimedean property of the integers and may be treated as an axiom also. It is, however, a consequence of the Completeness Axiom, Exercise 5.2.11

3 Observe that t1<t2<t3< is a bounded increasing sequence and there is a number t such that t1<t2<t3< approaches t.

4 American Mathematical Monthly, 58 (1951) p. 563.


5.2: The number e. is shared under a CC BY-NC-ND license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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