Why has the effect of the \small command been extended to item (e)?

\item $a_n = \dfrac{a^2_{n-1}}{a_{n-2}}, \textrm{ for } n \geq 2, a_0 = 1 \textrm{ e }
a_1 = 2$ (\small{{\textbf{\textit{Hint:}} SDSADSADASsscsc $\log a_n, n = 0,1, 2,...$ }})
\item $a_n = a^3_{n-1}a^2_{n-2}, \textrm{ for } n \geq 2 \textrm{ e } a_0 = a_1 = 2 $
\smallis a switch, not a command. So it stays active until the next switch or inside of a group. – leandriis Nov 13 '19 at 18:56({\small\textbf{\textit{Hint:}} SDSADSADASsscsc $\log a_n, n = 0,1, 2,...$ })instead. For comparison:\small{....}, original, wrong;{\small ...}, changed, small is only active inside of the set of{}. – leandriis Nov 13 '19 at 19:00{\small ...}, not\small{...}. – Werner Nov 13 '19 at 19:04