e (2.71828) is defined as the maximum rate of growth if we return 100% over smaller and smaller time periods. Every growth rate is a scaled version of e.

(1 + 1/365) ^ 365)	2.71456
(1 + 1/1000) ^ 1000)	2.716923
(1 + 1/10000) ^ 10000)	2.7181