Counting homomorphisms onto finite solvable groups. (Q1771339)

The number of epimorphisms from the free group \(F_n\) to a finite solvable group \(\Gamma\) can be computed using an explicit formula due to Gaschütz. The authors generalize Gaschütz's result, presenting a method for computing the number \(|\text{Epi}(G,\Gamma)|\) of epimorphisms from a finitely presented group \(G\) to a finite solvable group \(\Gamma\). They count these epimorphisms using an inductive procedure. Given an Abelian normal subgroup \(A\) of \(\Gamma\) and an epimorphism \(\rho\colon G\to\Gamma/A\), they have to decide whether \(\rho\) can be lifted to an epimorphism \(\widetilde\rho\colon G\to\Gamma\) and, in the case that a lift exists, they have to count the lifts. If \(G\) admits a presentation with \(n\) generators and \(m\) relations, they translate the lifting condition into a system of \(m\) equations in \(n\) unknowns over \(A\). Then they give a formula that gives the number of lifts in terms of homological data. Key to this approach are the degree 1 and 2 cohomology groups of \(G\), with certain twisted coefficients. As an application a count of low-index subgroups of \(G\) is given. To illustrate their recursive process for calculating \(|\text{Epi}(G,\Gamma)|\), the authors discuss various examples with different choices of \(G\) and \(\Gamma\). This leads in particular to investigate the finite solvable quotients of the Baumslag-Solitar groups, the Baumslag parafree groups and the Artin braid groups.