Proof of Exp(x)*Exp(y)=Exp(x+y) - Help Appreciated!

In summary, "Exp" in this equation stands for the mathematical function of exponential, which represents a number raised to a power. This equation is derived from the properties of exponents, specifically the rule that states when multiplying numbers with the same base, you add the exponents. An example is if x=2 and y=3, the left side of the equation would be Exp(2)*Exp(3), which is equivalent to e^2 * e^3. The significance of this equation in mathematics is that it shows the relationship between the exponential function and multiplication, and it allows us to simplify complex exponential expressions and solve problems involving exponential growth and decay. In real-life applications, it is commonly used in fields such as finance,
  • #1
cliowa
191
0
This should be a proof of the fact that exp(x)*exp(y)=exp(x+y). Have a look at it:
[tex]
\begin{align*}
\exp(x)\cdot\exp(y)&=\left(\sum_{k=0}^{\infty}\frac{x^k}{k!}\right)\cdot\left(\sum_{\ell=0}^{\infty}\frac{y^{\ell}}{\ell!}\right)\\
&=\sum_{k,\ell=0}^{\infty}\frac{x^ky^{\ell}}{k!\ell!}=\sum_{k=0}^{\infty}\left(\sum_{\ell=0}^{\infty}\frac{x^ky^{\ell}}{k!\ell!}\right)\\
&\stackrel{(\ell=n-k)}{=}\sum_{k=0}^{\infty}\left(\sum_{n=k}^{\infty}\frac{n!}{n!}\frac{x^ky^{n-k}}{k!(n-k)!}\right)\\
&=\sum_{k=0}^{\infty}\left(\sum_{n=k}^{\infty}\left(\begin{array}{*{1}{c}}n\\k\end{array}\right)\frac{x^ky^{n-k}}{n!}\right)\\
&=\sum_{k=0}^{\infty}\frac{\left(\sum_{k=0}^n\left(\begin{array}{*{1}{c}}n\\k\end{array}\right)x^ky^{n-k}\right)}{n!}\\
&=\sum_{n=0}^{\infty}\frac{(x+y)^n}{n!}=\exp(x+y)
\end{align*}
[/tex]
Now, I understand everything fairly well, except for one step: what is the operation to get from the 4th line to the 5th?
Help will be appreciated very much.
Best regards...Cliowa
 
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  • #2
There's a typo, the 5th line should be:

[tex]=\sum_{n=0}^{\infty}\frac{\left(\sum_{k=0}^n\left (\begin{array}{*{1}{c}}n\\k\end{array}\right)x^ky^ {n-k}\right)}{n!}[/tex]

They've just changed the order of summation.
 
  • #3
A little help from Rudin

I'm not sure the formula used to evaluate the product of the infinite series [going from line # 3 -> #4] is correct (though it may well be correct), Rudin gives the formula for the Cauchy product of series as it is presented in this http://mwt.e-technik.uni-ulm.de/world/lehre/basic_mathematics/di/node14.php3 .

A quick version is:

Suppose [itex] \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} a_n[/itex] and [itex] \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} b_n[/itex] converge absolutely. Then

[tex]\left( \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} a_n\right) \left( \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} b_n\right) = \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} \sum_{k=0}^{n} a_{k}b_{n-k}[/tex] also converges absolutely.

Alternately, look here, under the heading A Variant.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #4
@shmoe: Thanks alot, you really opened my eyes. Thank you very much. It seems clear now.

@benorin: I do think going from line 3 to 4 is alright, because all you do is you write n!/(k!*n-k)!) as the binomial coefficient of n and k, which works fine. Thanks anyway, the link was quite useful.

Best regards...Cliowa
 
  • #5
Lines 1 to 5 are essentially deriving the Cauchy product for these two series (with some algebraic simplification mixed in and not mentioning where absolute convergence is used). cliowa, you might want try to applying the form benorin gave to line 1 directly.
 

FAQ: Proof of Exp(x)*Exp(y)=Exp(x+y) - Help Appreciated!

What is the meaning of "Exp" in this equation?

Exp stands for the mathematical function of exponential, which represents a number raised to a power. In other words, it is a shorthand notation for writing out repeated multiplication of a number by itself.

How is this equation derived?

This equation is derived from the properties of exponents, specifically the rule that states when multiplying numbers with the same base, you add the exponents. In this case, the base is e, the mathematical constant approximately equal to 2.71828.

Can you provide an example to illustrate this equation?

Sure, for example, if x=2 and y=3, the left side of the equation would be Exp(2)*Exp(3), which is equivalent to e^2 * e^3. Using the rule of adding exponents, we can simplify this to e^5, which is the same as Exp(2+3) or Exp(x+y) on the right side of the equation.

What is the significance of this equation in mathematics?

This equation is important because it shows the relationship between the exponential function and multiplication. It also allows us to simplify complex exponential expressions and solve problems involving exponential growth and decay.

How is this equation used in real-life applications?

This equation is commonly used in fields such as finance, physics, and chemistry to model and solve problems involving exponential growth and decay. For example, it can be used to calculate compound interest, population growth, or radioactive decay.

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