The triviality problem for profinite completions

Abstract

We prove that there is no algorithm that can determine whether or not a finitely presented group has a non-trivial finite quotient; indeed, this remains undecidable among the fundamental groups of compact, non-positively curved square complexes. We deduce that many other properties of groups are undecidable. For hyperbolic groups, there cannot exist algorithms to determine largeness, the existence of a linear representation with infinite image (over any infinite field), or the rank of the profinite completion.

36 pages, 2 figures. Final version as accepted for publication, incorporating referee's comments. To appear in Inventiones Mathematicae

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