Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The Lamplighter Group, Scott Eckenthal

Senior Theses and Projects

The Lamplighter Group is an Algebraic Group whose behavior models the dynamics of a geometric system. In this thesis, a survey paper following a set of notes as written by Professor Jennifer Taback of Bowdoin College, we define this geometric system and the connection to the Lamplighter Group. Several subsequent results are then proven regarding word length of elements in the group and behavior within its Cayley Graph. A preliminary section is included to introduce the reader to several topics including Free Groups, Group Presentation, and the properties of the Cayley Graph.