• YOU can help the next generation of students in the community!
    Share your trial papers and notes on our Notes & Resources page

HELP! WHAT IS e???? (1 Viewer)

supermike

Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2009
Messages
55
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
hi when i study log and expo functions, expecially the calculs part, i dont quite grasp the concept and origin of "e" i mean, y is it always like the default base of all log functions that r meant to be differentiated??
plz plz plz help guys!!!!!!!!!!



:burn::burn::burn::burn::burn::burn:
 

supermike

Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2009
Messages
55
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
ths but a more diametrical explanation would be much appreciated

cheers:confused::confused:
 

Drongoski

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2009
Messages
4,253
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
refer to thread on: Re: [Which do you prefer working with] pi or e
 

Timothy.Siu

Prophet 9
Joined
Aug 6, 2008
Messages
3,449
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
at 2unit (or even 4unit), u dont really need to know what "e" is.
just pretend its some number 2.7... or watever
 

wendus

krawr.
Joined
Mar 26, 2007
Messages
653
Gender
Female
HSC
2008
it's just a number 2.718281828..................................
like pi
 

lolokay

Active Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2008
Messages
1,015
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2009
the derivative of ex is ex
any other base, a, and you get a constant, ln[a], out the front, so using base e allows us to more easily differentiate and integrate
 

shaon0

...
Joined
Mar 26, 2008
Messages
2,029
Location
Guess
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
hi when i study log and expo functions, expecially the calculs part, i dont quite grasp the concept and origin of "e" i mean, y is it always like the default base of all log functions that r meant to be differentiated??
plz plz plz help guys!!!!!!!!!!



:burn::burn::burn::burn::burn::burn:
S dx/x {from 1 to e} = 1
ie. if you integrate the (1/x) function from 1 to e, the integral yields the answer 1.
 

Trebla

Administrator
Administrator
Joined
Feb 16, 2005
Messages
8,293
Gender
Male
HSC
2006
hi when i study log and expo functions, expecially the calculs part, i dont quite grasp the concept and origin of "e" i mean, y is it always like the default base of all log functions that r meant to be differentiated??
plz plz plz help guys!!!!!!!!!!



:burn::burn::burn::burn::burn::burn:
This is simply because log of base e is special in the sense that the derivative of its exponential function gives itself: d(ex)/dx = ex

If you did this with any other base other than e, the result wouldn't be as simple and neat.
Here's a non-rigorous derivation of that result if you're interested:

 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top