On a question of Brendle and Benson
arXiv:math/0307146
Abstract
In this note we prove that there is no constant , depending on the genus of the surface, such that every element in the mapping class group can be written as a product of at most torsion elements, answering a question of T. E. Brendle and B. Farb in the negative.
Added a new section. Corrected some tipos. Now 3 pages