Balancing and balancing-like numbers which are one away from perfect powers (Q2198171)

The sequence of balancing numbers \((B_n)_{n\ge 0}\) is the Lucas sequence of characteristic polynomial \(x^2-6x+1\). Furthermore, \(B_n=P_{2n}/2\) holds for all \(n\ge 0\), where \(P_k\) is the \(k\)th Pell number. In the paper under review the authors determine all the balancing numbers \(B_n\) which are of the form \(y^p\pm 1\) for some positive \(y\) and prime number \(p\). The main ingredient is an elementary factorization of \(B_n\pm 1=(P_{2n}\pm P_2)/P_2\)=\(P_{n\pm 1}(Q_{n\mp 1}/2)\), where \((Q_m)_{m\ge 0}\) is the Lucas companion of the Pell sequence. Since the above factors are almost coprime, the problem reduces to the presence of perfect powers in the Pell and companion Pell sequences and these have been determined by others. The paper also contains several identities with members of Lucas sequences whose characteristic roots are real quadratic units of norm \(1\) which the authors refer to as ``balancing-like'' sequences.