Words and characters in finite p-groups

Finite nilpotent groups, (p)-groups (20D15) Arithmetic and combinatorial problems involving abstract finite groups (20D60) Word problems, other decision problems, connections with logic and automata (group-theoretic aspects) (20F10)

Abstract: Given a group word

w

in

k

variables, a finite group

G

and

g i n G

, we consider the number

N_{w, G} (g)

of

k

-tuples

g_{1}, d o t s, g_{k}

of elements of

G

such that

w (g_{1}, d o t s, g_{k}) = g

. In this work we study the functions

N_{w, G}

for the class of nilpotent groups of nilpotency class

2

. We show that, for the groups in this class,

N_{w, G} (1) g e q | G |^{k - 1}

, an inequality that can be improved to

N_{w, G} (1) g e q | G |^{k} / | G_{w} |

(

G_{w}

is the set of values taken by

w

on

G

) if

G

has odd order. This last result is explained by the fact that the functions

N_{w, G}

are characters of

G

in this case. For groups of even order, all that can be said is that

N_{w, G}

is a generalized character, something that is false in general for groups of nilpotency class greater than

2

. We characterize group theoretically when

N_{x^{n}, G}

is a character if

G

is a

2

-group of nilpotency class

2

. Finally we also address the (much harder) problem of studying if

N_{w, G} (g) g e q | G |^{k - 1}

for

g i n G_{w}

, proving that this is the case for the free

p

-groups of nilpotency class

2

and exponent

p

.

Review text

Given a group word \(w\) in \(k\) variables, a finite group \(G\) and \(g\in G\), denote by \(N_{w,G}\) the number on \(k\)-tuples \((g_1,\dots,g_k)\) of elements of \(G\) such that \(w(g_1,\dots,g_k)=g\). In what follows, let \(\text{cl}(G)=2\). Furthermore, let \(G_w\) be the set of values taken by \(w\) on \(G\). Then \(N_{w,G}(1)\geq |G|^{k-1}\). This inequality can be improved to \(|N_{w,G}(1)\geq |G|^k/|G_w|\). This last result is explained using the fact that the functions \(N_{w,G}\) are characters in the case under consideration. The paper is finished by the problem of studying the groups \(G\) with \(N_{w,G}(g)\geq |G|^{k-1}\) for \(g\in G_w\).

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