The Grushko decomposition of a finite graph of finite rank free groups: an algorithm. (Q813154)

One of the most important theorems concerning free groups and free products of groups is due to the Russian mathematician I. Grushko: A finitely generated group \(G\) is a free product of a finite rank free subgroup and finitely many freely indecomposable non-free subgroups. Grushko's original proof for the theorem applied only to the case of free groups of finite rank. The first proof for the case of free groups of arbitrary rank was given by \textit{D. H. Wagner} [see Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 84, 352-378 (1957; Zbl 0077.24801)]. In the present paper the authors show an algorithm to construct the Grushko decomposition of a finite graph of finite rank free groups (Theorem 1.2). In particular, it is possible to decide if such a group is free. Finally, the paper ends with some interesting open questions 1, 2, and 3.