Finite residual ($R_G={\bigcap }_{N◃G,[G:N]<\infty }N$)

The finite residual consists of all elements killed by every homomorphism to a finite group. A group is a residually finite group precisely when its finite residual is trivial. Intersecting all finite-index subgroups gives the same result: the normal core of each such subgroup is normal of finite index and lies inside it.

Let $G$ be a finitely generated group and $\theta :G\to G$ a surjective endomorphism. Pullback by $\theta$ permutes the finite set of normal subgroups of any prescribed finite index. For each such $N$, some iterate satisfies ${\theta }^{-m}(N)=N$, so $\ker \theta \subseteq \ker {\theta }^m\subseteq N$. Intersecting proves the inclusion. Consequently every finitely generated residually finite group is a Hopfian group.