Related papers: Pretzel Knots with Unknotting Number One

We give a criterion for distinguishing a prime knot $K$ in $S^3$ from every other knot in $S^3$ using the finite quotients of $\pi_1(S^3\setminus K)$. Using recent work of Baldwin-Sivek, we apply this criterion to the hyperbolic knots…

We call a knot in the 3-sphere $SU(2)$-simple if all representations of the fundamental group of its complement which map a meridian to a trace-free element in $SU(2)$ are binary dihedral. This is a generalisation of being a 2-bridge knot.…

Let K_s be a (-2,3,2s+1)-type Pretzel knot (s >= 3) and E(K_s)(p/q) be a closed manifold obtained by Dehn surgery along K_s with a slope p/q. We prove that if q>0, p/q >= 4s+7 and p is odd, then E(K_s)(p/q) cannot contain an R-covered…

We show that the SL(2,C)-character variety of the (-2,3,n) pretzel knot consists of two (respectively three) algebraic curves when 3 does not divide n (respectively 3 divides n) and give an explicit calculation of the Culler-Shalen…

The $\Delta$-unknotting number for a knot is defined as the minimum number of $\Delta$-moves needed to deform the knot into the trivial knot. It is known that, for positive pretzel knots, the $\Delta$-unknotting number coincides with the…

We construct a 1-parameter family of $\mathrm{SL}_2(\mathbf{R})$ representations of the pretzel knot $P(-2,3,7)$. As a consequence, we conclude that Dehn surgeries on this knot are left-orderable for all rational surgery slopes less than 6.…

Let $u(K)$ and $g(K)$ denote the unknotting number and the genus of a knot $K$, respectively. For a 3-braid knot $K$, we show that $u(K)\le g(K)$ holds, and that if $u(K)=g(K)$ then $K$ is either a 2-braid knot, a connected sum of two…

We study the representation spaces $R(K;\bf{i})$ as appearing in Kronheimer and Mrowka's framed instanton knot Floer homology, for a class of pretzel knots. In particular, for pretzel knots $P(p,q,r)$ with $p, q, r$ pairwise coprime, these…

We study certain linear representations of the knot group that induce augmentations of knot contact homology. This perspective on augmentations enhances our understanding of the relationship between the augmentation polynomial and the…

We describe a method to compute the Culler-Shalen seminorms of a knot, using the (-3,3,4) pretzel knot as an illustrative example. We deduce that the SL2(C)-character variety of this knot consists of three algebraic curves and that it…

We compute the involutive knot invariants for pretzel knots of the form P(-2,m,n) for m and n odd and greater than or equal to 3.

We classify Dehn surgeries on (p,q,r) pretzel knots that result in a manifold of finite fundamental group. The only hyperbolic pretzel knots that admit non-trivial finite surgeries are (-2,3,7) and (-2,3,9). Agol and Lackenby's 6-theorem…

We show that nontrivial classical pretzel knots L(p,q,r) are hyperbolic with eight exceptions which are torus knots. We find Conway polynomials of n-pretzel links using a new computation tree. As applications, we compute the genera of…

Let $H(p)$ be the set of 2-bridge knots $K$ whose group $G$ is mapped onto a non-trivial free product, $Z/2 * Z/p$, $p$ being odd. Then there is an algebraic integer $s_0$ such that for any $K$ in $H(p)$, $G$ has a parabolic representation…

For each even classical pretzel knot $P(2k_1+1,2k_2+1,2k_3)$, we determine the character variety of irreducible ${\rm SL}(2,\mathbb{C})$-representations, and clarify the steps of computing its A-polynomial.

We classify knot traces with trisection genus at most 2. We give infinitely many knots whose traces have trisection genus 3, and infinitely many knots whose traces have trisection genus 4. We also show that there exist infinite families of…

We computed the arc index for some of the pretzel knots $K=P(-p,q,r)$ with $p,q,r\ge2$, $r\geq q$ and at most one of $p,q,r$ is even. If $q=2$, then the arc index $\alpha(K)$ equals the minimal crossing number $c(K)$. If $p\ge3$ and $q=3$,…

Let K be a hyperbolic (-2,3,n) pretzel knot and M = S^3 K its complement. For these knots, we verify a conjecture of Reid and Walsh: there are at most three knot complements in the commensurability class of M. Indeed, if n \neq 7, we show…

The unknotting number of a positive braid with n strands and k intersections is known to be equal to (k-n+1)/2. We consider Lorenz knots (which are positive braids) and, using a different method, find their unknotting numbers in terms of…

We determine the ${\rm SL}(2,\mathbb{C})$-character variety for each odd classical pretzel knot $P(2k_1+1,2k_2+1,2k_3+1)$, and present a method for computing its A-polynomial.