Questions tagged [free-groups]

Should be used with the (group-theory) tag. Free groups are the free objects in the category of groups and can be classified up to isomorphism by their rank. Thus, we can talk about the free group of rank $n$, denoted $F_n$.

Free groups are the free objects in the category of groups. This means that if $S$ is some set such that there exists a function $f: S\rightarrow G$ where $G$ is some group then there exists some group homomorphism $\varphi: F_S\rightarrow G$ such that the following diagram commutes,

The universal property of free groups - from Wikipedia

The universality of free groups implies the set $S$ which they are generated by is important, and indeed one can view a free group over the set $S$ as the set of all words over $S^{\pm 1}$ under the operation of concatenation. This leads to the theory of group presentations.

Free groups can be classified up to isomorphism by their rank. Thus, we can talk about the free group of rank $n$, denoted $F_n$.

The standard (classical) reference for free groups is the book "Combinatorial Group Theory: Presentations of Groups in Terms of Generators and Relations" by Wilhelm Magnus, Abraham Karrass and Donald Solitar.

Note: diagram taken from Wikipedia.

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Elements of a free group commute if their powers commute

Let $F=$ be a free group and $v, w \in F$ such that $v^n \cdot w^m = w^m \cdot v^n$. Show that $v\cdot w = w\cdot v$. I didn't think it'd be very hard, but it turns out I'm stuck. I've thought of using induction on the lengths of $v$ and $w$, or…
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Free basis and free group

How can I prove the following result? Let $G$ be a group, $X\subseteq G$ and let $F_a(X)$ be the free group on $X$. Then the subgroup of $G$ generated by $X$ is isomorphic with $F_a(X)$ if and only if any normal word is distinct from identity $e\in…
user74411
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Free groups and isomorphism

Is it true that if $F_a(X)$ is the free group with free basis $X$, and the same for $F_a(Y)$, and $X,Y$ have the same cardinality, then there is an isomorphism between $F_a(X)$ and $F_a(Y)$?
user73564
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Equivalent basis of free groups

Given a finitely generate free group $G$ with generators $s_1, \dots, s_n$. Let $(b_1, \dots, b_n)$ denote a basis of this free group. A elementary transformation of this basis creates a new basis $(b'_1, \dots, b'_n)$ by one of the following to…
lalam
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T/F question on free groups

Is this statement True or False- If F is a free group with basis {$x,y$} and H is the subgroup generated by {$x^2,y^2,xy,yx$} then H is a free group of rank $3$. What should be my approach to solve it. I do not know how to proceed.
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