why does the value e in math have so many things based around it?

Question

As the title says, how come the value e is special? it has functions and rules just dedicated to it, but what sets it apart from another random number?

In: 397

Answer 1

You can use any number to describe exponential curves, but using e as a base gives you an exponential curve with an advantage: its slope at any point is much easier to calculate than the others.

It’s like assuming 1 for the hypotenuse when you are teaching trigonometry: it simplifies the equations so it’s easier to move on.