An elementary approach to the location of the maximum Stirling number(s) of the second kind (Q841462)

Summary (translated from the German): In how many ways can a set of \(n\) elements be decomposed into \(k\) non-empty subsets? The answer to this question is provided by the Stirling numbers \(S(n,k)\) of the second kind, whereby the addition {\em second kind\/} has historical reasons. If we look at the dependence of the \(S(n,k)\) on \(k\) for a fixed \(n\), we find that the \(S(n,k)\) first increase, reach a maximum and then decrease again. It cannot yet be ruled out that the maximum is assumed for two neighbouring \(k\). The question of where the \(S(n,k)\) assume their maximum has been treated by various authors by means of asymptotic statements. In the present work, exact statements about the position of the maximum are obtained by elementary means.