On the set of free homotopy classes and Brown's construction (Q2266259)

Let X and Y be path-connected, \(f: X\to Y\) continuous, and \(f_*: \pi_ 1(X,x)\to \pi_ 1(Y,f(x))\) (x\(\in X)\) surjective. The authors note that \(f_*: \pi_ n(X,x)\to \pi_ n(Y,f(x))\) is surjective (respectively injective) if and only if \(f_{\#}: [S^ n,X]\to [S^ n,Y]\) is surjective (respectively injective). Here [K,X] denotes the set of unbased classes. For the injective case the proof relies on \(f_*\) being a homomorphism and the orbit of 0 being trivial. A result on the bijectivity and surjectivity of [K,X]\(\to [K,Y]\) is deduced for complexes K of bounded dimension in terms of the connectivity of \(X\to Y\). Using an extension of this to the case where \(X\to Y\) is a G-map and K a G-space, a G-CW approximation is obtained for a G-space X using E. H. Browns' construction: precisely, if \({\mathcal F}\) is an orbit type family for G, then there is a G-map \(K_{{\mathcal F}}(X)\to X\) where \(K_{{\mathcal F}}(X)\) is a \(G-CW_{{\mathcal F}}\) complex such that \(K_{{\mathcal F}}(X)^ H\to X^ H\) is a weak homotopy equivalence for each \(H\in {\mathcal F}\) (and on each path component). Counterexamples are given to show that if [K,X]\(\to [K,Y]\) is a bijection for finite complexes K, then \(X\to Y\) need not to be a weak homotopy equivalence. Further conditions are given in terms of finiteness and nilpotency of the fundamental groups of X and Y.