ON A PROBLEM OF BROCARD
In 1876, H. Brocard asserted that the equation \[ n! +1 = m^2 \] has only three solutions \((m,n) \in \mathbb N^2\). Assuming the \(abc\)-conjecture of Szpiro, \textit{M. Overholt} [Bull. Lond. Math. Soc. 25, 104 (1993; Zbl 0805.11030)] showed that this Diophantine equation has only finitely many solutions. Replacing \(1\) by an arbitrary natural number, this result was generalized by \textit{A. Dąbrowski} [Nieuw Arch. Wiskd., IV. Ser. 14, No. 3, 321--324 (1996; Zbl 0876.11015)]. Let \(0 < \varepsilon < 1\) and some polynomial \(P \in \mathbb Z [X]\) of degree \(2\) be given. Assuming the \(abc\)-conjecture of Szpiro, it is now shown that there are only finitely many triples \((n,k,m) \in \mathbb N^3\) with \(\varepsilon n < k \leq n\) satisfying \[ (n)_k := n(n-1) \dots (n-k+1) = P(m). \] For the proof, this equation is transformed into \[ a \cdot (n)_k = (m')^2 - \Delta \] with integers \(a>0\) and \(\Delta\). If \(\Delta=0\) or \(\Delta\) is not a square the authors prove unconditionally that there are only finitely many solutions \((n,k,m') \in \mathbb N^3\) with \(\varepsilon n < k \leq n\), but if \(\Delta\) is a positive square, they must employ Szpiro's conjecture.
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