But, when is made indefinitely great, this simplifies down to the following:
This series is called the exponential series.
The great reason why is regarded of importance is that possesses a property, not possessed by any other function of , that when you differentiate it its value remains unchanged; or, in other words, its differential coefficient is the same as itself. This can be instantly seen by differentiating it with respect to , thus:
which is exactly the same as the original series.
Now we might have gone to work the other way, and said: Go to; let us find a function of , such that its differential coefficient is the same as itself. Or, is there any expression, involving only powers