A group presentation is a description of a set of generators and a subset
of the free group
generated by
. It is written
, where
(the identity element)
is often written in place of
. A group presentation defines the quotient
group of the free group
by the normal subgroup
generated by
,
which is the group generated by the generators
subject to the relations
.
Examples of group presentations include the following.
1. The presentation
defines a group, isomorphic
to the dihedral group
of finite group
order
,
which is the group of symmetries
of a regular polygon with
sides.
2. The fundamental group of a closed connected orientable surface of genus has the presentation
3. Coxeter groups.
4. Braid groups.