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Recall that a discrete group $G$ is amenable if and only if it has Folner condition, i.e., for every positive number $\epsilon$ and every finite set $A$ of $G$ there exists a finite non-empty subset $F$ (Folner set) such that $|gF \Delta F|\leq \epsilon |F|$ for all $g\in A$, where $\Delta$ is the symmetric difference.

Recall that the class of elementary amenable groups is the smallest class of groups containing all abelian and finite groups and closed under taking subgroups, quotients, extensions and directed unions.

It is known that every elementary amenable group is amenable but the converse is false.

Is there an "strong form" of Folner condition which is equivalent to being elementary amenable for a given group? What about solvable groups?

By an "strong form" of Folner condition I am wishing some further conditions on the Folner set $F$ in the above, for example.

Another way, if we assume that the size of the Folner set (which is depending to $A$ and $\epsilon$) is bounded above by a function $f:\mathbb{R}^+\rightarrow \mathbb{R}^+$ of $\epsilon$ only. Under what conditions on $f$ one can conclude that the group is virtually solvable.

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  • $\begingroup$ "Elementary amenable" is a very poor choice of terminology (due to Day?): it doesn't mean more amenable than other amenable, it means constructible in some way that makes its amenability obvious. There are many quantitative ways to measure amenability (Følner function, for instance). I'm not sure there is any universal bound for Følner functions of elementary amenable groups. (Another bad thing about this terminology is that it makes it somewhat rely on amenability -at least in people's mind-, while amenability is of analytical nature and not elementary amenable.) $\endgroup$
    – YCor
    Jan 7, 2017 at 13:59
  • $\begingroup$ @YCor Another way, if we assume that the size of the Folner set (which is depending to $A$ and $\epsilon$) is bounded above by a function $f:\mathbb{R}^+\rightarrow \mathbb{R}^+$ of $\epsilon$ only. Under what conditions on $f$ one can conclude that the group is virtually solvable. $\endgroup$ Jan 8, 2017 at 8:26
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    $\begingroup$ The last question seems to be whether there exists $f$ such that if the Følner function of $G$ is $O(f)$ then $G$ is virtually solvable. There exists non-virtually-solvable $G$ with exponential Følner function (wreath product $F\wr\mathbf{Z}$ with $F$ finite non-solvable). If $f$ is smaller, the only $G$ with Følner function $O(f)$ have subexponential growth (and hence the virtually solvable ones will have polynomial growth). So I'm not sure this is of much interest since it will miss most virtually solvable groups. $\endgroup$
    – YCor
    Jan 8, 2017 at 11:56

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