Word problems for finite nilpotent groups

DOI10.1007/S00013-020-01504-WMaRDI QIDQ6340259arXivFDO

Authors Rachel D. Camina, Ainhoa Iñiguez, Anitha Thillaisundaram

Publication date 7 May 2020

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

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

Abstract: Let $w$ be a word in $k$ variables. For a finite nilpotent group $G$, a conjecture of Amit states that $N_w(1)ge|G{|}^{k-1}$, where $N_w(1)$ is the number of $k$-tuples $(g_1,\mathrm{...},g_k)in{G}^{(k)}$ such that $w(g_1,\mathrm{...},g_k)=1$. Currently, this conjecture is known to be true for groups of nilpotency class 2. Here we consider a generalized version of Amit's conjecture, and prove that $N_w(g)ge|G{|}^{k-2}$, where $g$ is a $w$-value in $G$, for finite groups $G$ of odd order and nilpotency class 2. If $w$ is a word in two variables, we further show that $N_w(g)ge|G|$, where $g$ is a $w$-value in $G$ for finite groups $G$ of nilpotency class 2. In addition, for $p$ a prime, we show that finite $p$-groups $G$, with two distinct irreducible complex character degrees, satisfy the generalized Amit conjecture for words $w_k=[x_1,y_1]\mathrm{...}[x_k,y_k]$ with $k$ a natural number; that is, for $g$ a $w_k$-value in $G$ we have $N_{w_k}(g)ge|G{|}^{2k-1}$. Finally, we discuss the related group properties of being rational and chiral, and show that every finite group of nilpotency class 2 is rational.

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