Characterization of finite soluble groups by laws in a small number of variables (Q1106334)

The authors give an explicit construction of (infinite) sequences of words \(\lambda_ 1,\lambda_ 2,..\). on finitely many symbols \(x_ 1,x_ 2,...,x_ n\) that characterize solvability in the sense that a group \(G\) is solvable if and only if \(\lambda_ k(G)=1\) for all but finitely many \(k\)'s. Such sequences do not exist for all groups (since the condition implies that a group is solvable if and only if all its \(n\)-generator subgroups are solvable) but sequences with \(n=2\) exist for finite groups by a theorem of Thompson. A construction of such sequences for \(n=4\) is given that depends on an enumeration of the normal closure of the first free generator of the free group of rank 2. A simple word sequence \(\epsilon_ 1,\epsilon_ 2,..\). in 2 variables is given by \(\epsilon_ 1(X,Y,Z,T):=Y\) and recursively by the conjugated commutator \[ \epsilon_{k+1}(X,Y,Z,T):=[X,\epsilon_ k(X,Y,Z,T),\epsilon_ k(X,Y,Z,T),Z]\quad T. \] A simple construction of a law in three variables is attempted, although only two simple sequences \((\mu_ k)\), \((\nu_ k)\) are constructed recursively such that a finite group \(G\) is solvable iff \(\mu_ k(G)=\nu_ k(G)=1\) for almost all \(k\).