e^x Appreciation

Date: 7/9/96 at 9:26:21
From: Anonymous
Subject: e^x Appreciation

Dear Dr. Math,

I appreciate the function e^x very much. What is the history of e^x? 
What do you think of it?

     Thanks, 
    SVP in Hong Kong.

Date: 7/15/96 at 21:37:35
From: Doctor Sydney
Subject: Re: e^x Appreciation

Dear SVP, 

I'm glad you like the function e^x so much!  e is just one of many 
cool things in math.  To me, it is remarkable how often it pops up.  
The number has aesthetic value in its definition and associated 
properties: The definition of e is the limit as n approaches 0 of 
(1 + n)^1/n and one nice, unique property of the function e^x is that 
the derivative of the function e^x is the function e^x.  In addition, 
e comes in handy in many real life problems, like problems dealing 
with investment and banking.  

More exciting, there is an e home page!  Check this out:

   http://www.missouri.edu/~c639692/exp/   

From this page you can go to lots of other pages that all relate to e.  
Being an enthusiast of the function e^x, you would especially enjoy 
the following link:   

   http://pauillac.inria.fr/algo/bsolve/constant/e/e.html   

You can get to this second link from the first, but in case you want 
to go there directly, I include the second URL.  These two links have 
lots of interesting stuff in them about e and the function e^x, so I 
hope you enjoy them!  Good luck.

-Doctor Sydney,  The Math Forum
 Check out our web site!  http://mathforum.org/dr.math/