Bard Mathematics, Computer Science, and Physics Talks

The speaker introduces the word problem for recursively presented algebras. This will include a brief history of progress in this area, most notably Novikov's proof of the undecidability of the word problem for groups. The speaker will then present a reduction of the word problem for groups to the word problem for quandles as well as a reduction of the word problem for quandles to the word problem for racks. This demonstrates that quandles and racks also have undecidable word problems. This original research is joint work with Jim Belk of the Bard Mathematics Program.

This talk will be accessible to any attendee familiar with group presentations and normal subgroups in group theory.

	Quandles and Undecidability Robert W. McGrail ASC Laboratory Bard College Thursday, September 17, 2009 4:15 PM RKC 111
The speaker introduces the word problem for recursively presented algebras. This will include a brief history of progress in this area, most notably Novikov's proof of the undecidability of the word problem for groups. The speaker will then present a reduction of the word problem for groups to the word problem for quandles as well as a reduction of the word problem for quandles to the word problem for racks. This demonstrates that quandles and racks also have undecidable word problems. This original research is joint work with Jim Belk of the Bard Mathematics Program. This talk will be accessible to any attendee familiar with group presentations and normal subgroups in group theory.

Bard College Mathematics, Computer Science, and Physics Talks