지수함수와 로그함수의 미분

First, let's consider the behaviour of exponential functions $a^x$ based on whether $a$ is greater or less than 1. As we know, $\displaystyle \lim_{x\to\infty}a^x=\left\{\begin{array}{ll} \infty & a>1\\0&a<1 \end{array}\right.$ and $\displaystyle \lim_{x\to-\infty}a^x=\left\{\begin{array}{ll} 0 & a>1\\\infty&a<1 \end{array}\right.$. Our function has $\displaystyle \lim_{x \to \infty} f(x)=\infty$ and $\displaystyle \lim_{x \to -\infty} f(x)=0$, so we conclude $a>1$: thus $(d)$ and also $(b)$ hold. (We could have also seen that $(b)$ holds because $a^x$ is defined for all real numbers.)

It remains to decide whether $a$ is greater or less than $e$. (If $a$ were equal to $e$, then $f'(x)$ would be the same as $f(x)$.) We saw in the text that $\frac{\mathrm{d}}{\mathrm{d}x}\{a^x\}=C(a)a^x$ for the function $C(a)=\displaystyle \lim_{h \to 0} \dfrac{a^h-1}{h}$. We know that $C(e)=1$. (Actually, we chose $e$ to be the number that has this property.) From our graph, we see that $f'(x)<f(x)$, so $C(a)<1=C(e)$. In other words, $\displaystyle \lim_{h \to 0} \dfrac{a^h-1}{h}<\displaystyle \lim_{h \to 0} \dfrac{e^h-1}{h}$; so, $a<e$. Thus $(e)$ holds.