Maps to the projective plane (Q1017841)

The main result of this paper states that the real projective plane \(\mathbb{R}P^2\) is an absolute extensor for a finite-dimensional metrizable space \(X\) iff \(\dim_{\mathbb{Z}_2}X\leq1\). In general \(Y\) is an absolute extensor for \(Z\) if every continuous map \(f:A\to Y\), where \(A\) is closed in~\(X\), can be extended to all of \(X\). Along their way to the proof the authors show that the fundamental group of the space of maps from \(\mathbb{R}P^n\) into \(\mathbb{R}P^{n+1}\), with the inclusion map as base point, is a four-element group (it is calculated for \(n=1\) (cyclic) and for \(n=2\), \(3\), \(6\) and \(7\) (the four-group)).