Questions tagged [free-groups]

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Commutator length modulo finite index subgroups

We write $cl$ for the commutator length, i.e. the least number of commutators which multiply to a given element of a group. Given an element $g$ in the commutator subgroup of the free group $G=F_2$ ...
dlbb's user avatar
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8 votes
2 answers
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A metabelian quotient of a free group

I don't know much about free groups (excepted the very basics), and the following question may be trivial, although it isn't to me. Let $F$ be a free group with $n$ generators $x_1,\dots,x_n$. ...
Joël's user avatar
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8 votes
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Products of subgroups of a free group

Let $F$ be a free group, and let $A,B \leq F$ be two subgroups such that $AB$ contains a nontrivial normal subgroup of $F$. Must either $A$ or $B$ contain a nontrivial normal subgroup of $F$? What if ...
Pablo's user avatar
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8 votes
2 answers
294 views

Is the free abstract group residually of rank d > 2?

Let $d \geq 2$ be an integer, and let $\mathcal{F}_d$ be the family of finite groups such that $G \in \mathcal{F}_d$ if and only if every subgroup of $G$ can be generated by at most $d$ elements. Is ...
Pablo's user avatar
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If G is a finitely generated group with vcd(G) finite, is vcd(H) finite for H, where H is an automorphism group of G?

$\DeclareMathOperator\vcd{vcd}\DeclareMathOperator\Aut{Aut}\DeclareMathOperator\Inn{Inn}\DeclareMathOperator\Out{Out}$Here I mean $\vcd(G)$ to be the virtual cohomological dimension of $G$. Some ...
Mike's user avatar
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0 answers
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Uniform amenability at infinity

Let's recall that a group $G$ is amenable if for any finite subset $E\subset G$ and any $\epsilon>0$ there is a finite subset $F\subset G$ such that $$\max_{s\in E} |s F \mathbin{\triangle} F| \le \...
Narutaka OZAWA's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
481 views

Membership to double cosets in free groups

Is there an elementary and efficient algorithm for testing the membership to a double coset of f.g. subgroups in a free group? Has this membership problem been implemented in GAP/Magma? More ...
Ashot Minasyan's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
463 views

$\operatorname{Out}(F_n)$ is not linear for $n > 3$

The paper The Tits alternative for $\operatorname{Out}(F_n)$ I by Bestvina, Feighn and Handel and the paper Automorphisms of free groups and Outer space by Vogtmann both state that $\operatorname{Aut}(...
Student's user avatar
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3 answers
585 views

growth of a free group automorphism is same for finite index subgroups?

Let $X=\{x_1,\dots,x_N\}$ and $F=F(X)$ be a free group generated by $X$. Let $\phi\colon F\to F$ be an automorphism of $F$. Define a growth function of $\phi$ as: $$ \operatorname{gr}_{\phi,X}(n)=\...
mathreader's user avatar
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1 answer
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Primitive elements in a free group with trivial projection

For a free group $F$, an element $w$ is primitive if it is part of some free basis for $F$. Let $\pi:F[x_0,x_1,...,x_n]\rightarrow F[x_1,x_2,...,x_n]$ be defined $\pi (x_0)=1$ and $\pi (x_i)=x_i$ for $...
Andrew Clifford's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
254 views

Surjections from genus $n$ surface group to free group of rank $n$

Let $\Sigma_n$ be a genus $n$ surface, let $\mathcal{H}_n$ be a genus $n$ handle body, and let $F_n$ be a free group of rank $n$. Fix an identification of $\pi_1(\mathcal{H}_n)$ with $F_n$. I know ...
Annie's user avatar
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7 votes
1 answer
202 views

Howson property of automorphism group of $F_2$ and of $F_3$

Is the intersection of any two finitely generated subgroups of $\operatorname{Aut}(F_2)$ (resp. $\operatorname{Aut}(F_3)$) again finitely generated? That is, does $\operatorname{Aut}(F_2)$ (resp. $\...
Carl-Fredrik Nyberg Brodda's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
489 views

How to solve this one-variable equation in a free group?

Let $F_n$ be a free group, $u, v \in F_n$, where $[u,v] \neq 1 $. Trying to show that the following equation does not have a solution in $F_n$ : $$ [v,x] = [u,v] .$$ Any ideas are appreciated. I ...
Alexey's user avatar
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0 answers
315 views

How does Outer Space look like without a simplex?

Considering the simplicial structure of Culler and Vogtmanns Outer Space $CV_n$. The question is now: Let $\Delta \subset CV_n$ be a closed simplex of dimension $3n-4$ or $3n-5$, how does $CV_n \...
ctst's user avatar
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0 answers
251 views

Generating the monoid of injective endomorphisms of the free group

Let $F$ be the free group of rank $2$ (or any finite rank if this does not matter). The set of injective group endomorphisms $F\to F$ forms a monoid $M$ by compositions. Is there a simple looking set ...
Lvzhou Chen's user avatar
7 votes
0 answers
194 views

Structure constants of Lyndon-Shirshov basis of the free Lie ring

Let $X$ be an alphabet, ${\sf Lyn}$ be the set of Lyndon words on $X$ and $L$ be the free Lie ring on $X.$ For $w\in {\sf Lyn}$ we denote by $[w]$ the corresponding element of the Lyndon-Shirshov ...
Sergei Ivanov's user avatar
6 votes
4 answers
672 views

What is a geodesic in Outer space?

The Culler-Vogtmann Outer space $\text{CV}_n$ is an analogue of Teichmuller space for the group $\text{Out}(F_n)$. Is there any notion of a geodesic path in $\text{CV}_n$? Are there different ...
Kim's user avatar
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6 votes
2 answers
432 views

Free groups are CT-groups [closed]

A group $G$ is called CT-group if being commutative elements is transitive relation on $G\setminus\{1\}$ i.e. if $ 1 \neq x,y,z\in G $ and $[x,y]=1, [y,z]=1 $ then $[x,z]=1$. I encountered the fact ...
Barak Ohana's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
393 views

An algorithm determining whether two subgroups of a finitely generated free group are automorphic

In the book Lyndon, Schupp, Combinatorial Group Theory, P.30 in the edition from 2000 They mention an unpublished work by Waldhausen that is said to give an algorithm to determine whether two ...
Noam Kolodner's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
422 views

Do free profinite groups satisfy Howson's theorem?

Let $F$ be a free profinite group, and let $A,B \leq F$ be finitely generated closed subgroups. Must $A \cap B$ be finitely generated?
Pablo's user avatar
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6 votes
2 answers
226 views

Finding an "optimal" quotient in a free group

Consider the abelian free group $G = \mathbf{Z}^n$ of rank $n$ and a finite subset $A \subset G \setminus \{0\}$. Since $G$ is residually finite, there is a subgroup $H \subset G$ such that $A \cap H =...
vizietto's user avatar
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1 answer
334 views

Relation between commutator length and stable commutator length in free groups

In Bardakov, Algebra and Logic, Vol. 39, No. 4, 2000 I have found the following (page 225, see https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02681648) We pronounce tile validity of the following: ...
Janusz Przewocki's user avatar
6 votes
0 answers
125 views

Localizations of group algebras of free groups

$\newcommand{\QQ}{\Bbb Q}$ Let $G$ be a free group on the symbols $x_1, \dots, x_n$, with $\QQ[G]$ its rational group algebra. Write $\varepsilon: \QQ[G] \to \QQ$ for the augmentation, and for $\...
Tyler Lawson's user avatar
6 votes
0 answers
243 views

Wild automorphisms of a free group

Let $F_X$ be a free group on a countably infinite set $X$. Let $\alpha$ be an automorphism of $F_X$ and $H$ a closed subgroup of $F_X$ in the profinite topology. Is it possible that $\alpha(H) \...
Pablo's user avatar
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6 votes
0 answers
363 views

Primitive elements in a free group

Let $F$ be a free group of rank $\aleph_0$ and let $H$ be a subgroup for which there exists some $a \in F$ such that $\langle H \cup \{a\} \rangle = F$. Must there be some free basis $B$ for $F$ and a ...
Pablo's user avatar
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6 votes
0 answers
210 views

Dynamics of virtual automorphisms of free group

The setup is that $F$ is a free finitely generated group, $H, H'$ are subgroups of index $2$, and $\tau:H\to H'$ is an isomorphism. Denote by $B_r$ the ball around $1$ of radius $r$ in $F$, in the ...
Rostyslav Kravchenko's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
261 views

If $K\rtimes \mathbb{Z}$ is a finitely generated group but $K$ isn't, must the fixed points of $1_\mathbb{Z}$ be a finitely generated group?

I've copied over this question from what I asked on StackExchange, in the hope that an expert here can readily answer the question. Is there an example of a group $G=K\rtimes \mathbb{Z}$ satisfying ...
Chris Sanders's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
253 views

Stable equivalence of generating sets of a finitely-generated group?

This question came about when I was naively considering to what extent generating sets for finitely-generated groups are unique. Let $G$ be a group and let $\phi_1, \phi_2 : F_k \to G$ be two ...
Sprotte's user avatar
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5 votes
2 answers
484 views

Primitive subwords in a free group of rank 2

I am not sure yet about what I exactly need to prove, but I guess I can formulate a rough statement similar to the following: Suppose $w\in F_2$ is a primitive word whose length is big enough. Then ...
Damiano Lupi's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
268 views

Nielsen-Schreier with operations

The Nielsen-Schreier theorem states that subgroups of a free subgroup are free. Is this hold also for groups with operations? Explicitly, let $G$ be a fixed group. Let $F$ be a group with $G$-action ...
user49822's user avatar
  • 2,033
5 votes
2 answers
427 views

Is the mapping torus of an automorphism of a free group virtually an amalgamated product?

Let $F$ be a nonabelian finitely generated free group, let $\tau \in \mathrm{Aut}(F)$ be an element of infinite order, and set $G = F \rtimes \mathbb{Z}$, where the action of $\mathbb{Z}$ on $F$ is ...
Pablo's user avatar
  • 11.2k
5 votes
2 answers
224 views

Bound on the period of the identity (in a free group) for an automorphism followed by left-multiplication

Let $F$ be a finite-rank free group, $g$ an element of $F$ and $\Phi\colon F \to F$ an automorphism. Consider the dynamical system $\psi_g\colon F \to F$ defined by $x \mapsto g\Phi(x)$. Say that $g$ ...
Rylee Lyman's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
448 views

Normal Subgroup Growth

Let $F$ be a free group on $d$ generators. Denote by $F_{k}$ the $k$-th term in $F$'s derived series. Put $G = F/F_k$. What is the normal subgroup growth of $G$? Explicitly, for each natural number $...
Pablo's user avatar
  • 11.2k
5 votes
1 answer
389 views

finitely presented subgroup and free solvable group of class 3

Let $F(n)$ be free group of rank $n\geq 2$. Denote by $F_d(n)$ the d-th derived subgroup, that is $F_d(n)=[F_{d-1}(n),F_{d-1}(n)]$ where $F_0(n)=F(n)$. The free solvable group of rank $n$ and ...
user182085's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
277 views

Automorphism classes of the free group

As is well known, the conjugacy classes of the free group $F_2$ are parametrised by cyclically reduced words, up to cyclic permutation. In particular, it's easy to tell whether two elements of $F_2$ ...
Sean Eberhard's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
277 views

Words which are not inverted by any endomorphism

Let $w$ be a word in a free group $F_2$ of two generators $x_1, x_2$ such that there does not exist any endomorphism of free group which takes $w$ to $w^{-1}$. Let $w_1, w_2$ be two words in the same ...
Shri's user avatar
  • 273
5 votes
1 answer
238 views

Dense abstract free subgroups in a free profinite group

Let $\langle a, b \rangle = F_2$ be a two-generator free group and $\hat{F_2}$ be its profinite completion. Is there an element $c\in \hat{F_2}$ such that $\langle a, b, c\rangle \le \hat{F_2}$ is ...
Kylon's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
259 views

Bases of surface groups

Let $\Gamma_g$ be a surface group of genus $g \geq 2$. A $2g$-tuple $(x_1,y_1, \dots,x_g,y_g) \in \Gamma_g^{2g}$ will be called a Surface Basis if we have the presentation $$\Gamma_g = \langle x_1, ...
Pablo's user avatar
  • 11.2k
5 votes
2 answers
613 views

Which polynomials are Fricke polynomials ?

Let me recall the definition which seems the most standard of Fricke polynomials. Let $G$ be the free group with two generators $u,v$. It is not very hard to prove that there exists a unique ...
Joël's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
199 views

Converse of Schreier theorem

I know that every subgroup of a free group is free (Schreier theorem). I'm wondering that a (non-trivial) converse is true, that is, if every proper subgroup of an infinite group $G$ is free, then $G$ ...
Wonyong Jang's user avatar
5 votes
0 answers
112 views

Computability of the "free envelope rank" of an endomorphism of a free group

Let $F$ be a free group freely generated by the finite set $S$ and $\sigma\colon F\to F$ be a group morphism. We define the free envelope rank of $\sigma$, written $r(\sigma)$, as the smallest $k$ for ...
user158448's user avatar
5 votes
0 answers
342 views

Applications of Tits' alternative in algebraic number theory

I have recently studying Tits' alternative. The theorem statement goes like the following: Tits' alternative: Let $G$ be any finitely generated linear group over a field. Then one of the following is ...
ShBh's user avatar
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0 answers
188 views

Description of quasimorphisms of the free group

Let $F$ be a free group of finite rank with a fixed basis and corresponding word metric. Let $Q = Q^0_h(F, \mathbb{R})$ be the space of real homogenous quasimorphisms that vanish on the basis of $F$. ...
frafour's user avatar
  • 435
5 votes
0 answers
112 views

Do the "Nielsen" IA-automorphisms of a profinite free group $\widehat{F}$ of rank 2 form a normal subgroup of $\mathrm{Aut}(\widehat{F})$?

Let $F$ be the discrete free group of rank 2, and let $\widehat{F}$ be its profinite completion, equipped with an embedding $$i : F\hookrightarrow\widehat{F}$$ By a result of Asada, this embedding ...
Will Chen's user avatar
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0 answers
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free subgroups of $SL_2(\mathbb{Z[i]})$

The group $SL_2(\mathbb{Z})$ contains many free subgroups, for example all of the principal congruence subgroups for $n\geq 3$ and the subgroup $\left\langle \left(\begin{array}{cc} 1 & 2\\ 0 &...
Ofir's user avatar
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0 answers
189 views

Is there a nontrivial profinite word which is trivial in any group with at most d generators?

Let $F$ be a free profinite group of rank $\aleph_0$, and let $d \in \mathbb{N}$. Let $N_d \lhd_c F$ be the intersection of all open normal subgroups $L \lhd_o F$ for which $F/L$ can be generated by ...
Pablo's user avatar
  • 11.2k
5 votes
0 answers
404 views

Profinite groups, completions, and Schreier's formula

Let $G$ be a finitely generated profinite group, and $H \leq_o G$. We say that $H$ satisfies Schreier's formula in $G$ if $d(H) - 1 = (d(G)-1)[G:H]$. We say that $G$ satisfies Schreier's formula if ...
Pablo's user avatar
  • 11.2k
5 votes
0 answers
720 views

Conjugacy classes of elements in free groups. One-variable equations.

First of all, wasn't sure what could be a good title for this question. If mods think of a better name, pls feel free to change it... Let $F$ be a (non-abelian) free group of finite rank, a vector $\...
Alexey Kvashchuk's user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
259 views

Examples of IF-groups

I have seen that several authors say that an infinite group $G$ is an IF-group (or has the IF-property) if every subgroup of infinite index in $G$ is free (for instance, see https://arxiv.org/pdf/1607....
Pablo's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
221 views

Database subgroups of free group

Is there some database that contains "all" low-index normal subgroups of the free group on two generators? Extension: does there exist such a GAP-database? Thank you!
Mark95's user avatar
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