Lower central words in finite p-groups

Abstract: It is well known that the set of values of a lower central word in a group

G

need not be a subgroup. For a fixed lower central word

g a m m a_{r}

and for

p g e 5

, Guralnick showed that if

G

is a finite

p

-group such that the verbal subgroup

g a m m a_{r} (G)

is abelian and 2-generator, then

g a m m a_{r} (G)

consists only of

g a m m a_{r}

-values. In this paper we extend this result, showing that the assumption that

g a m m a_{r} (G)

is abelian can be dropped. Moreover, we show that the result remains true even if

p = 3

. Finally, we prove that the analogous result for pro-

p

groups is true.

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