On the number of prime factors of \(\binom{n}{k}\). (Q2556885)

Let \(V(m)\) denote the number of different prime factors of \(m\). \textit{H.Scheid} [Arch. Math. 20, 581-582 (1969; Zbl 0195.33001)] proved that for \(2 < 2k \leq n\) \[ V \binom{n}{k} >{k \log 2 \over \log 2k}. \] The author here proves the following theorem: For every \(\epsilon > 0\) and \(k > k_0(\epsilon)\), and for \(n \geq 2k\), \[ V \binom{n}{k} > (1-\epsilon) {k \log 4 \over \log k}. \] To show that the above result is in a sense accurate, he further proves \(V\binom{2k}{k}<(1+ \epsilon){k \log 4 \over \log k}\). An analogous proof is stated to hold for \[ V\binom{n}{k} < (1+\epsilon){n \log 2 \over \log n}. \] Scheid considered it probable that, for fixed \(k\), \(V\binom{n}{k}\) does not tend to infinity. The author in fact proves this statement to be true. If \(n > 2 \cdot k!\), he also proves that \(V\binom{n}{k} \geq k\), and finally states the following conjecture. For almost all \(n < k^{1+\alpha}\) \[ V\binom{n}{k} = (1+0(1))k \log(1+\alpha). \]