{
  "id": "math/0211169",
  "version": "v1",
  "published": "2002-11-11T13:52:53.000Z",
  "updated": "2002-11-11T13:52:53.000Z",
  "title": "An algorithm for the word problem in braid groups",
  "authors": [
    "Bert Wiest"
  ],
  "comment": "17 pages, 6 figures",
  "categories": [
    "math.GT"
  ],
  "abstract": "We suggest a new algorithm for finding a canonical representative of a given braid, and also for the harder problem of finding a $\\sigma_1$-consistent representative. We conjecture that the algorithm is quadratic-time. We present numerical evidence for this conjecture, and prove two results: (1) The algorithm terminates in finite time. (2) The conjecture holds in the special case of 3-string braids - in fact, we prove that the algorithm finds a minimal-lenght representative for any 3-string braid.",
  "revisions": [
    {
      "version": "v1",
      "updated": "2002-11-11T13:52:53.000Z"
    }
  ],
  "analyses": {
    "keywords": [
      "braid groups",
      "word problem",
      "harder problem",
      "algorithm terminates",
      "finite time"
    ],
    "note": {
      "typesetting": "TeX",
      "pages": 17,
      "language": "en",
      "license": "arXiv",
      "status": "editable",
      "adsabs": "2002math.....11169W"
    }
  }
}