Thompson's group \(F\) is not almost convex. (Q1419004)

A group \(G\) is almost convex with respect to the finite generating set \(X\) and parameter \(k\) if there is a number \(N(k)\) so that for all positive integers \(n\), any two elements in the ball of radius \(n\) whose distance in the word metric is at most \(k\) are endpoints of a path of length at most \(N(k)\) which lies entirely inside the given ball. It is shown that Thompson's group \(F\), defined by \textit{R. McKenzie} and \textit{R. J. Thompson} [in Word Probl., Decision Probl. Burnside Probl. Group Theory, Studies Logic Foundations Math. 71, 457-478 (1973; Zbl 0286.02047)], with respect to its standard finite presentation, namely the two generator presentation \[ \langle a,b:[ab^{-1},a^{-1}ba],\;[ab^{-1},a^{-2}ba^2]\rangle \] is not almost convex for \(k=2\). The proof techniques rely on \textit{S. B. Fordham}'s effective algorithm for the computation of the length of an element in the group, with respect to the generators \(a\) and \(b\) [developed in Geom. Dedicata 99, 179-220 (2003; Zbl 1039.20014)].