No label defined (Q5313638)

A generalized triangle group is a group that can be presented in the form \(G=\langle a,b\mid a^p=b^q=w(a,b)^r=1\rangle\) where \(p,q,r\geq 2\) and \(w(a,b)\) is an element of the free product \(\langle a,b\mid a^p=b^q=1\rangle\) involving both \(a\) and \(b\). It is conjectured that the Tits alternative holds for \(G\), that is, either \(G\) has a free subgroup of rank 2 or is solvable-by-finite. It was known that the conjecture holds except possibly when the triple \((p,q,r)\) is one of \((3,3,2)\), \((3,4,2)\), \((3,5,2)\), or \((2,m,2)\) where \(m=3,4,5,10,15,20\). In this paper it is shown that the Tits alternative also holds for the triples \((2,10,2)\) and \((2,20,2)\). In their recent preprint ``Free subgroups in certain generalized triangle groups of type \((2,m,2)\)'' \textit{J. Howie} and \textit{G. Williams} showed that the Tits alternative also holds for the triple \((2,15,2)\). For the entire collection see [Zbl 1061.00004].