How do you do this question with or without a calculator?

Step-by-step explanation:

The idea is not usual, but once you have seen the answer, I think you will grasp the principle so well that you will understand the concept much better when you hit the idea in higher mathematics which you will. Take a much easier example of the same thing.

What is 0/0? What does it mean.

Suppose it does equal something. What is that something? Write it like this.

Having established that it can be anything at all, we turn to your problem.

ln(1) = 0 Try that on your calculator.

Now as x approaches 1, x - 1 becomes 0.

So what you have is

Now you get 0/0 which has no definite answer by the remarks made above.