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Limit for the maximum of exponentials below log n

Question

Let X1,X2,…X_1,X_2,\dots be independent Exp(1)\text{Exp}(1) variables and Mn=max⁡(X1,…,Xn)M_n=\max(X_1,\dots,X_n). The limit of P[Mn≤ln⁡n]\mathbb{P}[M_n\le\ln n] as n→∞n\to\infty has the form be\tfrac{b}{e}. What is bb?

Short answer

b=1b=1. The maximum is at most ln⁡n\ln n exactly when every XiX_i is, so the probability is (1−e−ln⁡n)n=(1−1n)n→e−1(1-e^{-\ln n})^n=(1-\tfrac1n)^n\to e^{-1}.

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