466 research outputs found
Decision problems for word-hyperbolic semigroups
This paper studies decision problems for semigroups that are word-hyperbolic in the sense of Duncan & Gilman. A fundamental investigation reveals that the natural definition of a `word-hyperbolic structure' has to be strengthened slightly in order to define a unique semigroup up to isomorphism. The isomorphism problem is proven to be undecidable for word-hyperbolic semigroups (in contrast to the situation for word-hyperbolic groups). It is proved that it is undecidable whether a word-hyperbolic semigroup is automatic, asynchronously automatic, biautomatic, or asynchronously biautomatic. (These properties do not hold in general for word-hyperbolic semigroups.) It is proved that the uniform word problem for word-hyperbolic semigroup is solvable in polynomial time (improving on the previous exponential-time algorithm). Algorithms are presented for deciding whether a word-hyperbolic semigroup is a monoid, a group, a completely simple semigroup, a Clifford semigroup, or a free semigroup.PostprintPeer reviewe
Decision problems for word-hyperbolic semigroups
This paper studies decision problems for semigroups that are word-hyperbolic in the sense of Duncan & Gilman. A fundamental investigation reveals that the natural definition of a `word-hyperbolic structure' has to be strengthened slightly in order to define a unique semigroup up to isomorphism. The isomorphism problem is proven to be undecidable for word-hyperbolic semigroups (in contrast to the situation for word-hyperbolic groups). It is proved that it is undecidable whether a word-hyperbolic semigroup is automatic, asynchronously automatic, biautomatic, or asynchronously biautomatic. (These properties do not hold in general for word-hyperbolic semigroups.) It is proved that the uniform word problem for word-hyperbolic semigroup is solvable in polynomial time (improving on the previous exponential-time algorithm). Algorithms are presented for deciding whether a word-hyperbolic semigroup is a monoid, a group, a completely simple semigroup, a Clifford semigroup, or a free semigroup.PostprintPeer reviewe
Small overlap monoids II: automatic structures and normal forms
We show that any finite monoid or semigroup presentation satisfying the small
overlap condition C(4) has word problem which is a deterministic rational
relation. It follows that the set of lexicographically minimal words forms a
regular language of normal forms, and that these normal forms can be computed
in linear time. We also deduce that C(4) monoids and semigroups are rational
(in the sense of Sakarovitch), asynchronous automatic, and word hyperbolic (in
the sense of Duncan and Gilman). From this it follows that C(4) monoids satisfy
analogues of Kleene's theorem, and admit decision algorithms for the rational
subset and finitely generated submonoid membership problems. We also prove some
automata-theoretic results which may be of independent interest.Comment: 17 page
A strong geometric hyperbolicity property for directed graphs and monoids
We introduce and study a strong "thin triangle"' condition for directed
graphs, which generalises the usual notion of hyperbolicity for a metric space.
We prove that finitely generated left cancellative monoids whose right Cayley
graphs satisfy this condition must be finitely presented with polynomial Dehn
functions, and hence word problems in NP. Under the additional assumption of
right cancellativity (or in some cases the weaker condition of bounded
indegree), they also admit algorithms for more fundamentally
semigroup-theoretic decision problems such as Green's relations L, R, J, D and
the corresponding pre-orders.
In contrast, we exhibit a right cancellative (but not left cancellative)
finitely generated monoid (in fact, an infinite class of them) whose Cayley
graph is a essentially a tree (hence hyperbolic in our sense and probably any
reasonable sense), but which is not even recursively presentable. This seems to
be strong evidence that no geometric notion of hyperbolicity will be strong
enough to yield much information about finitely generated monoids in absolute
generality.Comment: Exposition improved. Results unchange
Max Dehn, Axel Thue, and the Undecidable
This is a short essay on the roles of Max Dehn and Axel Thue in the
formulation of the word problem for (semi)groups, and the story of the proofs
showing that the word problem is undecidable.Comment: Definition of undecidability and unsolvability improve
Markov semigroups, monoids, and groups
A group is Markov if it admits a prefix-closed regular language of unique
representatives with respect to some generating set, and strongly Markov if it
admits such a language of unique minimal-length representatives over every
generating set. This paper considers the natural generalizations of these
concepts to semigroups and monoids. Two distinct potential generalizations to
monoids are shown to be equivalent. Various interesting examples are presented,
including an example of a non-Markov monoid that nevertheless admits a regular
language of unique representatives over any generating set. It is shown that
all finitely generated commutative semigroups are strongly Markov, but that
finitely generated subsemigroups of virtually abelian or polycyclic groups need
not be. Potential connections with word-hyperbolic semigroups are investigated.
A study is made of the interaction of the classes of Markov and strongly Markov
semigroups with direct products, free products, and finite-index subsemigroups
and extensions. Several questions are posed.Comment: 40 pages; 3 figure
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