Quasi-isometry and finite presentations of left cancellative monoids. (Q2852575)

In geometric group theory the concept of quasi-isometry plays a crucial role as the quasi-isometry type of a group \(G\) is an invariant that tells a lot about essential properties of \(G\). For finitely generated groups various quasi-isometry invariants are known [see, for example, \textit{R. Geoghegan}, Topological methods in group theory. New York: Springer (2008; Zbl 1141.57001)]. When one moves away from groups geometric methods become harder to apply. The authors have given stronger contributions to the development of such methods in the area of monoids and of semigroups. The work presented in this paper goes in that direction.NEWLINENEWLINE The main aim of the present article is to show that in the class of left cancellative monoids the existence of a finite presentation and to have solvable word problem are quasi-isometries. The paper concludes with an example that shows that when one removes left cancellativity the situation alters completely; in fact, left cancellativity plays a crucial role in the methods applied here.