On free semilattice-ordered semigroups satisfying \(x^{n}=x\) (Q2267777)

By a semilattice-ordered semigroup the authors mean a semigroup \((S,\cdot)\) being at the same time a semilattice under \(\vee\) such that \(a(b\vee c)=ab\vee ac\) and \((a\vee b)c=ac\vee bc\) for all \(a,b,c\in S\). For positive integers \(k,m,n\), \(B(k,0,n)\) denotes the group with \(k\) generators which is free in the group variety defined by \(x^n=1\), \(B(k,1,n)\) denotes the semigroup with \(k\) generators which is free in the semigroup variety defined by \(x^n=x\), \(n>1\), and \(B_{slo}(k,m,n)\) denotes the semilattice-ordered semigroup with \(k\) generators which is free in the semilattice-ordered semigroup variety defined by \(x^m=x^n\), \(m<n\). If \(n>1\), then \(B(k,1,n)\) is finite for all \(k\geq 1\) if and only if \(B(k,0,n-1)\) is finite for all \(k\geq 1\) (Green and Rees, 1952). In the present paper, the authors prove the following: For \(n>1\), \(B(k,0,n-1)\) is finite for all \(k\geq 1\) if and only if \(B_{slo}(k,1,n)\) is finite for all \(k\geq 1\). They construct the semilattice-ordered semigroup \(B_{slo}(1,1,11)\) (it consists of 18 elements) and, using a computer, also \(B_{slo}(2,1,2)\), \(B_{slo}(3,1,2)\) and \(B_{slo}(2,1,3)\) (consisting of 20, 9014, and 219 elements, respectively). They prove that if \(1<m<n\), then \(B_{slo}(k,m,n)\) is infinite for each \(k\geq 3\); and if \(2<m<n\), \(B_{slo}(2,m,n)\) is also infinite. Finally, for a finitely generated semilattice-ordered semigroup \((S,\cdot,\vee)\) satisfying \(x^m=x^n\), \(m<n\), they determine the greatest element of the semilattice \((S,\vee)\).