The Kaplansky test problems for ℵ₁-separable groups (Q4387063)

Recall that an abelian group \(M\) is called \(\aleph_1\)-separable if every countable subset is contained in a countable free direct summand of \(M\). The authors prove in ordinary set theory, ZFC, that for any positive integer \(r\) there is an \(\aleph_1\)-separable group \(M\) of cardinality \(\aleph_1\) such that for any positive integers \(m\) and \(k\), the direct sum of \(m\) copies of \(M\) is isomorphic to the direct sum of \(k\) copies of \(M\) if and only if \(m\) is congruent to \(k\bmod r\). The proof uses a classical ring construction by \textit{A. L. S. Corner} [Proc. Colloq. Abelian Groups 43-48 (1964; Zbl 0132.27201)]\ and tools provided by \textit{R. Göbel} and \textit{B. Goldsmith} [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 99, No. 3, 331-344 (1995; Zbl 0847.20051)]. The examples show that the Kaplansky test problems have negative answers for the class of \(\aleph_1\)-separable groups of cardinality \(\aleph_1\). In addition some results on the endomorphism rings of the constructed groups are derived.