Can the homographic function:
where a ∈ (0,1), be approximated by an exponential function for the interval x ∈ [0,1-a] (where the function f(x) behaves as an increasing and convex function)? Graphically, the exponential function seems to approximate the function f(x) better than the Taylor approximation (whatever degree is chosen) for that interval, but can one formally find an exponential function that is a good approximation to the function f(x)? I know that an exponential function can be approximated to a rational function using the method proposed by Padé, but my problem is actually the opposite.