Residual finiteness growth measures how well-approximated a group is by its finite quotients. We prove that some related growth functions characterize linearity for a class of groups including all hyperbolic groups.
In this paper, we consider the conjugacy growth function of a group, which counts the number of conjugacy classes which intersect a ball of radius $n$ centered at the identity. We prove that in the case of virtually polycyclic groups, this function i
s either exponential or polynomially bounded, and is polynomially bounded exactly when the group is virtually nilpotent. The proof is fairly short, and makes use of the fact that any polycyclic group has a subgroup of finite index which can be embedded as a lattice in a Lie group, as well as exponential radical of Lie groups and Dirichlets approximation theorem.
Suppose an amenable group $G$ is acting freely on a simply connected simplicial complex $tilde X$ with compact quotient $X$. Fix $n geq 1$, assume $H_n(tilde X, mathbb{Z})=0$ and let $(H_i)$ be a Farber chain in $G$. We prove that the torsion of the
integral homology in dimension $n$ of $tilde{X}/H_i$ grows subexponentially in $[G:H_i]$. By way of contrast, if $X$ is not compact, there are solvable groups of derived length 3 for which torsion in homology can grow faster than any given function.
Let $G$ be a finitely generated group with a finite generating set $S$. For $gin G$, let $l_S(g)$ be the length of the shortest word over $S$ representing $g$. The growth series of $G$ with respect to $S$ is the series $A(t) = sum_{n=0}^infty a_n t^n
$, where $a_n$ is the number of elements of $G$ with $l_S(g)=n$. If $A(t)$ can be expressed as a rational function of $t$, then $G$ is said to have a rational growth function. We calculate explicitly the rational growth functions of $(p,q)$-torus link groups for any $p, q > 1.$ As an application, we show that their growth rates are Perron numbers.
The subject of growth of groups has been active in the former Soviet Union since the early 50s and in the West since 1968, when articles of v{S}varc and Milnor have been published, independently. The purpose of this note is to quote a few articles sh
owing that, before 1968 and at least retrospectively, growth has already played some role in various subjects.
We show that for a fixed k, Gromov random groups with any positive density have no non-trivial degree-k representations over any field, a.a.s. This is especially interesting in light of the results of Agol, Ollivier and Wise that when the density is
less than 1/6 such groups have a faithful linear representation over the rationals, a.a.s.