A group is coherent if all its finitely generated subgroups are finitely presented. In this article we provide a criterion for positively determining the coherence of a group. This criterion is based upon the notion of the perimeter of a map between two finite 2-complexes which is introduced here. In the groups to which this theory applies, a presentation for a finitely generated subgroup can b...

The Andrews-Curtis conjecture claims that every balanced presentation of the trivial group can be transformed into the trivial presentation by a finite sequence of “elementary transformations” which are Nielsen transformations together with an arbitrary conjugation of a relator. It is believed that the Andrews-Curtis conjecture is false; however, not so many possible counterexamples are known. ...

We prove a freeness theorem for low-rank subgroups of one-relator groups. Let F be free group, and let w∈F nonprimitive element. The primitivity rank w, π(w), is the smallest subgroup containing w as an imprimitive Then any group G=F∕⟨⟨w⟩⟩ generated by fewer than π(w) elements free. In particular, if π(w)>2, then G does not contain Baumslag–Solitar hypothesis that π(w)>2 implies presentation co...

The Atiyah conjecture predicts that the L-Betti numbers of a finite CW -complex with torsion-free fundamental group are integers. We show that the Atiyah conjecture holds (with an additional technical condition) for direct and inverse limits of directed systems of groups for which it is true. As a corollary it holds for residually torsion-free solvable groups, e.g. for pure braid groups or for ...

We survey a number of powerful recent results concerning diophantine and asymptotic properties of (ordinary) characters of symmetric groups. Apart from their intrinsic interest, these results are motivated by a connection with subgroup growth theory and the theory of random walks. As applications, we present an estimate for the subgroup growth of an arbitrary Fuchsian group, as well as a finite...