Exponential Function
A special function that can be defined via a power series.
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Concept | Content |
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Injectivity, Surjectivity, Bijectivity | These are important notions for maps. |
Absolute Convergence | A strong concept of convergence of series. |
Cauchy Product | A special way to multiply two absolutely convergent sequences. |
Quotient Criterion | An important criterion to prove absolute convergence by means of ratios of the underlying sequence's terms. |
Sequences of Bounded Functions | The concept of sequences but for functions instead of real numbers. |
Series and Partial Sums | A series is a sequence of partial sums. |
Continuity | The concept that relates functions with convergent sequences. |
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Concept | Content |
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Logarithm Function | The inverse of the exponential function. |
Examples of Differentiable Functions | Calculation of derivatives by example. |
Substitution Rule for Integration | An important integration rule. |
Study Exponential Function #
Definition 1. The exponential function \(\exp:\mathbb{K}\to\mathbb{K}\) is defined as \[\exp(x)=\sum_{k=0}^\infty\frac{x^k}{k!}.\] The number \[e=\exp(1)=\sum_{k=0}^\infty\frac{1}{k!}\] is called Euler’s number.
For Euler’s number holds \[e\approx 2.718281828459046.\] We already saw as an example application of the quotient criterion that the above defined series converges for all \(x\in\mathbb{K}\). Now we present an estimate for \(\exp(x)\) if the series is replaced by a finite sum.
Theorem 2. For \(n\in\mathbb{N}\) and \(x\in\mathbb{K}\) with \(|x|\leq1+\frac{n}2\) holds \[\exp(x)=\sum_{k=0}^n\frac{x^k}{k!}+r_n(x)\qquad\text{with }|r_n(x)|\leq2\frac{|x|^{n+1}}{(n+1)!}.\]
Theorem 3. Properties of the Exponential Function
For all \(x,y\in\mathbb{C}\) holds \(\exp(x+y)=\exp(x)\exp(y)\).
For all \(x\in\mathbb{C}\) holds \(\exp(\overline{x})=\overline{\exp(x)}\) (\(\overline{y}\) denotes the complex conjugate of \(y\in\mathbb{C}\)).
For all \(x\in\mathbb{C}\) holds \(\exp(x)\neq0\) and \[\exp(-x)=\frac1{\exp(x)}.\]
For \(x\in\mathbb{R}\) with \(x\geq0\) holds \(\exp(x)\geq1\). Where \(\exp(x)=1 \Leftrightarrow x=0\).
For \(x\in\mathbb{R}\) with \(x<0\) holds \(0<\exp(x)<1\).
\(\exp\) in continuous.
\(\exp:\mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R}\) is strictly monotonically increasing.
\(\lim_{x\to\infty}\exp(x)=\infty\) and \(\lim_{x\to-\infty}\exp(x)=0\).
\(\exp:\mathbb{R}\to(0,\infty)\) is bijective.
For all \(x\in\mathbb{C}\) holds \(|\exp(x)|=\exp(\Re(x))\).
Proof:
Already shown as an example application of the cauchy product of series.
Since we have \(\overline{x_1+x_2}=\overline{x_1}+\overline{x_2}\) and \(\overline{x_1x_2}=\overline{x_1} \cdot \overline{x_2}\) for all \(x_1,x_2\in\mathbb{C}\), we have \[\exp(\bar{x})=\sum_{k=0}^\infty\frac{\bar{x}^k}{k!}=\overline{\sum_{k=0}^\infty\frac{{x}^k}{k!}}=\overline{\exp(x)}.\]
By definition of \(\exp\), we have \(\exp(0)=1\). From (i), we get \(\exp(x)\cdot\exp(-x)=\exp(x-x)=\exp(0)=1\). Then the statement follows.
From \(x\geq0\), we get \[\exp(x)=\sum_{k=0}^\infty\frac{x^k}{k!}=1+\sum_{k=1}^\infty\frac{x^k}{k!}\geq1.\] It is immediately clear that equality only holds for \(x=0\).
If \(x<0\), we get from (iii) that \(\exp(-x)>1\). Then, \(\exp(x)=\frac1{\exp(-x)}<1\).
First we show that \(\exp\) is continuous at \(0\).
Let \(x_1,x_2\in\mathbb{R}\) with \(x_1> x_2\). Then we have \(x_1-x_2>0\) and thus, by (iv), \(\exp(x_1-x_2)>1\). Since \(\exp(x_2)>0\), we have \[\exp(x_1)=\exp(x_2)\exp(x_1-x_2)>\exp(x_2).\]
The fact \(\lim_{x\to\infty}\exp(x)=\infty\) follows, since we have for \(x>0\) that \[\exp(x)=\sum_{k=0}^\infty\frac{x^k}{k!}=1+x+\sum_{k=2}^\infty\frac{x^k}{k!}>1+x.\] The statement (iii) then directly implies \(\lim_{x\to-\infty}\exp(x)=0\).
The injectivity of \(\exp:\mathbb{R}\to(0,\infty)\) follows from (vii). It remains to show surjectivity. Let \(y\in(0,\infty)\).
Since \(\lim_{x\to-\infty}\exp(x)=0\), there exists some \(x_0\in\mathbb{R}\) such that \(\exp(x_0)<y\).
Since \(\lim_{x\to\infty}\exp(x)=\infty\), there exists some \(x_1\in\mathbb{R}\) such that \(\exp(x_1)>y\).
Now, by the Mean Value Theorem, (remember that \(\exp\) is continuous), there exists some \(x\in\mathbb{R}\) with \(\exp(x)=y\).Let \(x=x_1+ix_2\) with \(x_1=\Re(x)\), \(x_2=\Im(x)\). Then \[| \exp(x) | = |\exp(x_1+ix_2)|=|\exp(x_1)\exp(ix_2)|=|\exp(x_1)||\exp(ix_2)|.\] If we now show that \(|\exp(ix_2)|=1\), the result is proven: Making use of (ii), we obtain \[|\exp(ix_2)|^2=\exp(ix_2)\cdot\overline{\exp(ix_2)}=\exp(ix_2-ix_2)=\exp(0)=1.\]\(\Box\)
Fabian Gabel and Marcus Waurick. Well-defined & Wonderful podcast, marcus-waurick.de.
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