Dehn functions of finitely presented metabelian groups (Q1983948)

Let \(G=\langle X \, \vert \,\mathcal{R} \rangle\) be a finite presented group, the Dehn function, a geometric and combinatorial invariant of \(G\), is defined to be \[ \delta(G)= \sup_{|w| \leq n} \inf \, \bigg \{\, k \, \; \bigg | \, w=\prod_{i=1}^{k} r_{i}^{g_{i}} , \, r_{i} \in R \cup R^{-1},\, g_{i} \in G \,\bigg \}. \] It is well known that a finitely presented group has decidable word problem if and only if its Dehn function is bounded above by a recursive function. The word problem for any finitely generated metabelian group is decidable, which follows from the fact that finitely generated metabelian groups are residually finite. Hence, the Dehn function of a finitely presented metabelian group is always bounded above by a recursive function. The main result proved in the paper under review is Theorem 1.3 (see also Theorem 5.1): Let \(G\) be a finitely presented metabelian group. Let \(k\) be the minimal torsion-free rank of an abelian group \(T\) such that there exists an abelian normal subgroup \(A\) in \(G\) satisfying \(G/A\simeq T\). Then the Dehn function of \(G\) is asymptotically bounded above by (i) \(n^{2}\) if \(k=0\); (ii) \(2^{\nu}\), where \(\nu=n^{2k}\), if \(k>0\). The author also generalizes a result of \textit{M. Kassabov} and \textit{T. R. Riley} [Geom. Dedicata 158, 109--119 (2012; Zbl 1251.20039)] by proving that every wreath product of a free abelian group of finite rank with a finitely generated abelian group can be embedded into a metabelian group with exponential Dehn function. In particular, any free metabelian group of finite rank is a subgroup of a metabelian group with exponential Dehn function.