It is stipulated in Article 1 Section 2 Clause 3 that the number of representatives could not exceed one for every 30,000. While not stated, it is implied that the number of constituents could not exceed 30,000. I believe that the framers of the Constitution intended to limit the size of the Congressional District to a maximum of 30,000, but failed to make their intentions clear.
In reading the accounts of the ratification debates that took place in the states it was clear that at that time they understood that the number of representatives could not exceed 1 in every 30,000 and that the number of constituents in a Congressional District could not exceed 30,000.
Article 1 Section 2 Clause 3 limits the number of representatives to 1 per 30,000 constituents, but it does not set a maximum limit on the size of the Congressional Districts
Each state is entitled to no more than 1 representative for every 30,000 inhabitants in their state. A state with 60,000 could to not more than 2 representatives and a state with 300,000 could have no more than 10 representative.
Representation is supposed to proportional, state with twice as many people should have twice as many representatives in Congress. The Constitution clearly states that the states representatives shall be apportioned based on population of the states.
Without a fixed ratio of representatives to constituents was necessary to provide the states with equal and appropriate representation. By limiting the number of representatives, but not the size of the districts, the political power would be vested in Congressional rather than in the people.
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The definitions I have found for the word exceed do not support your hypothesis.
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The Congressional Apportionment Act of 1929 is unconstitutional because it authorizes Congress to create districts that are not equally apportioned. The number of representatives can not exceed 1 per 30,000 and the number constituents in anyone district can not exceed 30,000.
Seats in Congress are to be apportioned based on the population of the states and a state with twice the population is entitled to twice as many representatives. When Montana has a population of 989,000 and Wyoming has a population of 563,000 and they have the same number of representatives, the states are not being represented based on the populations.