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The number e (e = 2.71828...), also known as Euler's number, which occurs widely in mathematical analysis The number i , the imaginary unit such that i 2 = − 1 {\displaystyle i^{2}=-1} The equation is often given in the form of an expression set equal to zero, which is common practice in several areas of mathematics.
Substituting r(cos θ + i sin θ) for e ix and equating real and imaginary parts in this formula gives dr / dx = 0 and dθ / dx = 1. Thus, r is a constant, and θ is x + C for some constant C. The initial values r(0) = 1 and θ(0) = 0 come from e 0i = 1, giving r = 1 and θ = x.
Graphs of y = b x for various bases b: base 10, base e, base 2, base 1 / 2 . Each curve passes through the point (0, 1) because any nonzero number raised to the power of 0 is 1. At x = 1, the value of y equals the base because any number raised to the power of 1 is the number itself.
The number e is a mathematical constant approximately equal to 2.71828 that is the base of the natural logarithm and exponential function.It is sometimes called Euler's number, after the Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler, though this can invite confusion with Euler numbers, or with Euler's constant, a different constant typically denoted .
[2] We begin with the properties that are immediate consequences of the definition as a power series: e 0 = I; exp(X T) = (exp X) T, where X T denotes the transpose of X. exp(X ∗) = (exp X) ∗, where X ∗ denotes the conjugate transpose of X. If Y is invertible then e YXY −1 = Ye X Y −1. The next key result is this one:
The power series definition of the exponential function makes sense for square matrices (for which the function is called the matrix exponential) and more generally in any unital Banach algebra B. In this setting, e 0 = 1, and e x is invertible with inverse e −x for any x in B. If xy = yx, then e x + y = e x e y, but this identity can fail ...
Since e is an irrational number (see proof that e is irrational), it cannot be represented as the quotient of two integers, but it can be represented as a continued fraction. Using calculus, e may also be represented as an infinite series, infinite product, or other types of limit of a sequence.
Walter Rudin called it "the most important function in mathematics". [1] It is therefore useful to have multiple ways to define (or characterize) it. Each of the characterizations below may be more or less useful depending on context. The "product limit" characterization of the exponential function was discovered by Leonhard Euler. [2]