squeak-
Take compound interest for example:
Compounded once per year => (1 + 1/1)^1
Compounded twice per year => (1 + 1/2)^2
Compounded three times per year => (1 + 1/3)^3
Compounded four times per year => (1 + 1/4)^4
Compounded twelve per year => (1 + 1/12)^12
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Compounded continuously => (1 + 1/x)^x as x goes to infinity.