In
abstract algebra
In mathematics, more specifically algebra, abstract algebra or modern algebra is the study of algebraic structures. Algebraic structures include groups, rings, fields, modules, vector spaces, lattices, and algebras over a field. The ter ...
, the group isomorphism problem is the
decision problem
In computability theory and computational complexity theory, a decision problem is a computational problem that can be posed as a yes–no question of the input values. An example of a decision problem is deciding by means of an algorithm whe ...
of determining whether two given
finite group presentations refer to
isomorphic
In mathematics, an isomorphism is a structure-preserving mapping between two structures of the same type that can be reversed by an inverse mapping. Two mathematical structures are isomorphic if an isomorphism exists between them. The word i ...
group
A group is a number of persons or things that are located, gathered, or classed together.
Groups of people
* Cultural group, a group whose members share the same cultural identity
* Ethnic group, a group whose members share the same ethnic ide ...
s.
The isomorphism problem was formulated by
Max Dehn
Max Wilhelm Dehn (November 13, 1878 – June 27, 1952) was a German mathematician most famous for his work in geometry, topology and geometric group theory. Born to a Jewish family in Germany, Dehn's early life and career took place in Germany. ...
, and together with the
word problem and
conjugacy problem
In abstract algebra, the conjugacy problem for a group ''G'' with a given presentation is the decision problem of determining, given two words ''x'' and ''y'' in ''G'', whether or not they represent conjugate elements of ''G''. That is, the prob ...
, is one of three fundamental decision problems in group theory he identified in 1911. All three problems are
undecidable: there does not exist a computer algorithm that correctly solves every instance of the isomorphism problem, or of the other two problems, regardless of how much time is allowed for the algorithm to run. In fact the problem of deciding whether a group is trivial is undecidable,
[ (See Corollary 3.4)] a consequence of the
Adian–Rabin theorem In the mathematical subject of group theory, the Adian–Rabin theorem is a result that states that most "reasonable" properties of finitely presentable groups are algorithmically undecidable. The theorem is due to Sergei Adian (1955) and, indepen ...
due to
Sergei Adian
Sergei Ivanovich Adian, also Adyan ( hy, Սերգեյ Իվանովիչ Ադյան; russian: Серге́й Ива́нович Адя́н; 1 January 1931 – 5 May 2020), 4381, and hence for all multiples of those odd integers as well.
The solutio ...
and
Michael O. Rabin
Michael Oser Rabin ( he, מִיכָאֵל עוזר רַבִּין; born September 1, 1931) is an Israeli mathematician and computer scientist and a recipient of the Turing Award.
Biography Early life and education
Rabin was born in 1931 in ...
.
References
*
Group theory
Undecidable problems
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