English

Polygraphs of finite derivation type

Category Theory 2018-02-12 v2

Abstract

Craig Squier proved that, if a monoid can be presented by a finite convergent string rewriting system, then it satisfies the homological finiteness condition left-FP3. Using this result, he constructed finitely presentable monoids with a decidable word problem, but that cannot be presented by finite convergent rewriting systems. Later, he introduced the condition of finite derivation type, which is a homotopical finiteness property on the presentation complex associated to a monoid presentation. He showed that this condition is an invariant of finite presentations and he gave a constructive way to prove this finiteness property based on the computation of the critical branchings: being of finite derivation type is a necessary condition for a finitely presented monoid to admit a finite convergent presentation. This survey presents Squier's results in the contemporary language of polygraphs and higher-dimensional categories, with new proofs and relations between them.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1402.2587,
  title  = {Polygraphs of finite derivation type},
  author = {Yves Guiraud and Philippe Malbos},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1402.2587},
  year   = {2018}
}
R2 v1 2026-06-22T03:05:55.131Z