Exponential and Logarithmic Series 297

Chapter

8
Exponential and Logarithmic Series
The above series known as exponential series and e x is
Exponential Series called exponential function. Exponential function is also denoted
Definition (The number e) by exp. i.e., exp A  e A ;  exp x  e x .
n Replacing x by  x , we obtain
 1 2
The limiting value of  1   when n tends to infinity is x x x3 xn
 n e x  1     ........  (1)n  ........ 
1! 2! 3! n!
denoted by e.
xn
 1
n
1 1 1 1  Tn 1  General term in the expansion of e  x  (1)n
i.e., e  lim  1    1      .........  n!
n   n 1! 2! 3! 4 !
(1)n
= 2.71 (Nearly) and coefficient of x n in e  x  .
n!
Properties of e
Exponential function ax, where a > 0
(1) e lies between 2.7 and 2.8. i.e., 2.7 < e < 2.8 (since x
1 1  a x  e log e a  e x log e a
 n 1 for n  2 ).
n! 2  ax  e x ....(i), where   log e a
(2) The value of e correct to 10 places of decimals is 2 3
x x x xr
2.7182818284. We have, e x  1    ........   ........ 
(3) e is an irrational (incommensurable) number. 1! 2! 3! r!
(4) e is the base of natural logarithm (Napier logarithm) Replacing x by  x in this series,
i.e., ln x  log e x and log 10 e is known as Napierian constant. x  2x 2 3x3 rxr
e x  1     .....   ..... 
log10 e  0 . 43429448 , ln x  2 . 303 log10 x . 1! 2! 3! r!
 1  Hence from (i),
 since ln x  log10 x . log e 10 and log e 10   2 .30258509 
 log 10 e  log e a (log e a)2 2 (log e a)r x r
  ax  1  x x  .....   ..... 
1! 2! r!
Expansion of exponential series
Some standard results from exponential series
x x2 x3 xr
For x  R , e x  1     ......   ...... 
1! 2! 3! r! 
1 
1 
1

x n (1)  n!   (n  1)!   (n  k )!  e
or e  
x
. n 0 n 0 n 0
n  0 n! 
1 1 1 1
 Tn 1  General term in the expansion of e 
xn
andx
(2)  n!  1!  2!  3! ..........   e  1
n 1
n!

1 1 1 1 1
coefficient of x n in e x  .
n!
(3)  n!  2!  3!  4 !  .........   e  2
n2
 298 Exponential and Logarithmic Series

1 1 1 1 We get,
(4)  (n  1)!  1!  2!  3!  .........   e  1 1 1 1 1 1
n 0 log e 2  1       .... 

2 3 4 5 6
1 1 1 1
(5)  (n  2)!  2!  3!  4!  .........   e  2 
1

1

1
 .... 
n 0
1 .2 3. 4 5 .6

1 1 1 1
(6)  (n  1)!  2!  3!  4 !  .........   e  2 (3) When x  1 , the logarithmic series does not have a
sum. This is in conformity with the fact that log(1 – 1) is not a
n 1
finite quantity.
e x  e x x2 x4 x6 
x 2n
(7) 1    .......   
2 2! 4 ! 6! n  0 (2n)! Difference between the exponential and logarithmic
series
e x  ex x3 x5 
x 2 n 1
(8) x   .......   
2 3! 5 ! n  0 (2n  1)!
x x2 x3
(1) In the exponential series   ex  1 
1! 2! 3!
(ax ) (ax )2 (ax )3 (ax )n
(9) e ax  1     ......   ......  ..........  all the terms carry positive signs whereas in the
1! 2! 3! n!
x2 x3 x4
(ax )n logarithmic series log e (1  x )  x     ........  the
 Tn 1  General term in the expansion of e ax  and 2 3 4
n! terms are alternatively positive and negative.
an (2) In the exponential series the denominator of the terms
coefficient of x n in e ax  .
n! involve factorial of natural numbers. But in the logarithmic series
the terms do not contain factorials.

Logarithmic Series (3) The exponential series is valid for all the values of x. The
logarithmic series is valid, when |x|< 1.
Definition
An expansion for log e (1  x ) as a series of powers of x
which is valid only, when | x |  1 .

Expansion of logarithmic series

 (2n)!  1  2!  4!  6!  ......... 
1 1 1 1

2 3 4
x x x
log e (1  x )  x     ........  n0
2 3 4

e  e 1 1
Replacing x by  x in the logarithmic series, we get 
2
  (2n  2)! .
n 1
x2 x3 x4
log e (1  x )   x     ........ 
2 3 4 
1 1 1 1 e  e 1
x2
x 3
x 4
  (2n  1)!  1!  3!  5!  .........   2
or  log e (1  x )  x     ........  n 1
2 3 4

1
Some Important results from logarithmic series   (2n  1)! .
n 0

2
(1) (i) log e (1  x )  log e (1  x )  log e (1  x ) 
n

n
  n!  e   n!
 x 2 x 4  n 0 n 1
 2    ........  , (1  x  1)
 2 4  
n2

n2
  n!  2e   n!
 x3 x5  n 0 n 1
(ii) log e (1  x )  log e (1  x )  2  x    ........  
 3 5   
n3 n3
 
  n!  5 e   n!
1  x  x3 x5 n 0 n 1
or log e    2x    ........  
1  x   3 5   
n4 n4
(2) The series expansion of log e (1  x ) may fail to be valid, if
  n!  15 e   n!
n 0 n 1
|x| is not less than 1. It can be proved that the logarithmic series is
valid for x =1. Putting x=1 in the logarithmic series.