Equivalence Relations Between Closed Curves On the Pair of Pants

Abstract

We examine an equivalence relation between free homotopy classes of closed curves on the pair of pants known as k-equivalence, a generalization of a concept previously defined by Leininger. We prove that two classes of closed curves on the pair of pants that are k-equivalent must also be 1-equivalent and 2-equivalent. We also examine properties of 1-equivalence on the pair of pants in greater depth.

17 pages, 10 figures