The polynomial-exponential equation \(1 + 2^a + 6^b = y^q\) (Q1705835)

The paper under review deals with the polynomial-exponential equation \(1 + 2^a + 6^b = y^q\). It is known that this equation has no solutions unless we have \(q \in \{2, 3, 6\}\), see \textit{M. A. Bennett} et al. [Math. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 153, No. 3, 525--540 (2012; Zbl 1291.11016)]. In this paper it is proved that for \(q=3\) the above equation has only the solutions \((a, b, y) = (0, 1, 2)\) and \((9, 3, 9)\) in nonnegative integers and for \(q=2\) has only the solutions \((a, b, y) = (1, 1, 3)\) and \((3, 3, 15)\) in nonnegative integers with \(a \leq b\). The proof is based upon off-diagonal Padé approximation to the binomial function.