On the number of positive integer solutions \((x, n)\) of the generalized Ramanujan-Nagell equation \(x^2-2^r = p^n\) (Q1705826)

For an odd prime \(p\) and positive integer \(r\), write \(N(2^r,p)\) for the number of positive integer solutions \((x, n)\) of the equation in the title. Improving several results from the literature, the authors prove the sharp inequality \(N(2^r, p) \leq 1\). In the proof elementary methods are combined with tools from the theory of Pell equations.