On the maximum of the weighted binomial sum \(2^{-r}\sum_{i=0}^r\binom{m}{i}\) (Q2138559)

For a non-negative integer \(m \geq 0\), study of the function \(f_m(r) = \frac{1}{2^r} \sum_{i=0}^r \binom{m}{i}\) is of importance in coding and information theory. The authors mention that a back-of-the-envelope calculations by B. McKay in [\textit{S. P. Glasby}, ``On the maximum of the weighted binomial sum \(2^{-r}\sum_{i=0}^r \binom{m}{i}\)'', MathOverflow, Question 389857, \url{https://mathoverflow.net/questions/389857/maximum-of-the-weighted-binomial-sum-2-r-sum-i-0r-binommi}] indicate that the function has maximum value when \(r\) is close to \(m/3\). In this paper, the authors prove such a precise result and also give bounds for the maximal value. They deduce that the maximum value is asymptotic to \(\frac{3}{\sqrt{\pi m}} \bigg(\frac{3}{2} \bigg)^m\) as \(m \rightarrow \infty\). The methods are elementary.