Calculus – Why lim (1+1/n)^n Doesn’t Evaluate to 1

calculusdefinitionexponential functionlimitssequences-and-series

I am trying to identify what the flaw is exactly when reasoning about a limit such as the definition of $\mathbf e$:

$$
\lim_{n\rightarrow \infty}\left(1+\frac{1}{n}\right)^n={e}
$$

Now, I know there are ways of proving this limit, such as by considering the binomial expansion of $(1+\frac{1}{n})^n$ and comparing that to the Maclaurin series of $e$. So to make this clear, I am not looking for a proof of the limit definition of $e$.

I tried searching for "limit laws/rules" but none of the rules I found described the above case. Hence, I am looking for a specific rule (or perhaps a certain perspective) that will help me realize why the above does not in fact evaluate to 1.

My train of thought is as follows: at a first glance, if I wasn't already familiar with what the limit evaluates to, I probably would evaluate the expression inside the brackets first, and then apply the limit to the power. So,
$$\displaystyle\lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{1}{n}=0\quad\text{and then}$$ $$\displaystyle\lim_{n\rightarrow \infty}\left(1+0\right)^n=\lim_{n\to\infty}1^n=1$$

Why is my reasoning flawed?

Best Answer

Your "problem" already occurs with $n^{1/n}$. If you think "of $n$ first", then the limit would be infinite. If you think "of $1/n$ first", the limit would be zero. But it's neither! (as Chris mentioned above, this already happens with products, and even with sums).

There is no justification in isolating one part from the other: each new value of $n$ obviously implies a new value of $1/n$, so there's no ground in thinking that they should behave "independently".

This mistake is probably induced by the fact that there is actually "independence" in several situations, like "the limit of the sum is the sum of the limit", or "the limit of the product is the product of the limits"; but even these situations require both limits to exist. The power situation is no different, in the sense that you cannot freely "distribute" the limit.

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