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3 votes
3 answers
269 views

Perfect group that is split extension of a normal free subgroup of finite index

Does there exists a non-trivial free group $F$ and a finite group $L$ acting on $F$ such that the semidirect product $F\rtimes L$ is perfect? Thanks @YCor for reformulating the question.
3 votes
0 answers
92 views

Symmetric group in terms of block permutations

For $i+j+k=N$, consider the permutation $\Pi_{i,j,k}\in S_N$, which keeps the numbers $0,\ldots,i-1$ fixed, and exchanges the numbers $i,\ldots,i+j-1$ with the numbers $i+j,\ldots,i+j+k-1$. $$\Pi_{i,j,...
0 votes
1 answer
446 views

finite index, self-normalizing subgroup of $F_2$ [closed]

Denote $F_2=\langle a, b\rangle$ to be the free group on two generators $a, b$. Let $H\leq F_2$ to be a subgroup with finite index $n$, so $H\cong F_{n+1}$ by Nielsen–Schreier theorem, recall that $...
2 votes
1 answer
306 views

An epimorphism into a profinite group

Let $p$ be an odd prime number, $G$ a finitely generated nonabelian profinite group, $L \lhd_o G$ a pro-$p$ group with $[G : L] = 2$. Suppose that there is a continuous surjection from $G$ onto a free ...
6 votes
2 answers
232 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 =...
2 votes
0 answers
147 views

Rank gradient in free products amalgamating a finite subgroup

Let $A,B$ be finitely generated groups with a common finite subgroup $C$. Suppose that $[A : C] > 2, [B : C] > 1$. Must $A *_C B$ have positive rank gradient? See Which 3-manifolds have ...
2 votes
0 answers
124 views

Salvaging Howson's theorem for free profinite groups

This is an attempt to find a correct version of Do free profinite groups satisfy Howson's theorem? Let $F$ be a free profinite group, and let $A,B \leq F$ be closed finitely generated subgroups ...
3 votes
1 answer
173 views

What is the corank of a proper char subgroup of a finite index subgroup of a free group?

Let $F$ be the free group of rank $\aleph_0$, let $L \leq F$ be a finite index subgroup, and let $M$ be a proper characteristic subgroup of $L$. Is it possible that there exists a finite subset $S \...
8 votes
2 answers
295 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 ...
2 votes
1 answer
237 views

Conjugates and infinite index subgroups of free groups

Here I am asking for an analogue of Generating infinite index subgroups of a free group Let $F$ be a nonabelian finitely generated free group, let $H \leq F$ be a finitely generated subgroup of ...
3 votes
1 answer
189 views

Measuring products of finitely generated subgroups of free groups

Let $F$ be a finitely generated free group, $H_1, \dots, H_n$ finitely generated subgroups of infinite index in $F$, and $\epsilon > 0$. Must there be an epimorphism to a finite group $\phi \colon ...
10 votes
2 answers
383 views

Can a positive measure subset of a free group be nowhere dense?

Let $F$ be a finitely generated free group and let $S \subseteq F$ be a subset for which there is some $\epsilon > 0$ such that for any epimorphism to a finite group $\phi \colon F \to G$ we have ...
5 votes
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 ...
1 vote
0 answers
275 views

Explicitly showing that a free group is LERF [closed]

Let $F$ be a free group on a finite set $X$, and let $M$ be a finitely generated subgroup. Marshall Hall's theorem states that $M$ is closed in the profinite topology on $F$. That is, $M$ is the ...
1 vote
0 answers
134 views

Dense free subgroups

Let $F$ be a free pro-$p$ group (for a prime number $p$) on a finite set $X$, $\Phi$ the abstract subgroup generated by $X$, $\{1\} \neq N \lhd_c F$. Is it possible that $\Phi \cap N = \{1\}$?
1 vote
0 answers
82 views

A bound on the size of the center

Let $p$ be a prime number, $F$ a free pro-$p$ group, $H \leq_c F$ of infinite index. Can it be that $$\sup_{N \lhd_o F} |Z((F/N)/C_{F/N}(HN/N))| < \infty ?$$
2 votes
1 answer
286 views

Making a profinite group free

Let $F$ be a free profinite group, $G$ a profinite group. Suppose that the free profinite product $F \amalg G$ is a free profinite group. Must $G$ be a free profinite group? For abstract groups the ...
4 votes
1 answer
455 views

Generators of Sylow subgroups

Is there a function $f : \mathbb{N} \rightarrow \mathbb{N}$ such that for each finite supersolvable group $G$, and a Sylow subgroup $S \leq G$ we have $d(S) \leq f(d(G))$? Here $d(H)$ denotes the ...
5 votes
0 answers
406 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 ...
5 votes
1 answer
453 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 $...