Non-freeness of groups generated by two parabolic elements with small rational parameters

Abstract: Let

q i n m a t h b b C

, let [a=�egin{pmatrix} 1&0\1&1end{pmatrix},quad b_q=�egin{pmatrix} 1&q\0&1end{pmatrix},] and let

G_{q} < m a t h r m {S L}_{2} (m a t h b b C)

be the group generated by

a

and

b_{q}

. In this paper, we study the problem of determining when the group

G_{q}

is not free for

| q | < 4

rational. We give a robust computational criterion which allows us to prove that if

q = s / r

for

| s | l e q 27

then

G_{q}

is non-free, with the possible exception of

s = 24

. In this latter case, we prove that the set of denominators

r i n m a t h b b N

for which

G_{24 / r}

is non-free has natural density

1

. For a general numerator

s > 27

, we prove that the lower density of denominators

r i n m a t h b b N

for which

G_{s / r}

is non-free has a lower bound [ 1- left(1-frac{11}{s} ight) prod_{n=1}^infty left(1-frac{4}{s^{2^n-1}} ight). ] Finally, we show that for a fixed

s

, there are arbitrarily long sequences of consecutive denominators

r

such that

G_{s / r}

is non-free. The proofs of some of the results are computer assisted, and Mathematica code has been provided together with suitable documentation.

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