Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2008 / iii / Paper 2 / 3 / i

Suppose $G=⟨g_1,\dots ,g_n\mid R⟩$ has a finite group presentation. Work in the free product $B=G\ast F(a,b)$ and putThe $u_i$ freely generate a subgroup of $F(a,b)$. Indeed, in a reduced word in these conjugates, combine adjacent powers with the same index. Expanding the remaining word leaves nonzero powers of $a$ separated by nonzero powers of $b$, so the normal form theorem for a free product makes it nonidentity. This proves the free conjugate bases in a rank-two free group fact we need.

The group homomorphism $B\to F(a,b)$ killing $G$ sends $v_i$ to $a^{-i}b{a}^i$, including $v_0=b$. These are a free conjugate basis by the same argument with $a,b$ interchanged. A nonempty reduced word in the $v_i$ therefore has nontrivial image and cannot be trivial in $B$. Thus $u_i\mapsto v_i$ extends to an isomorphism between the two rank-$(n+1)$ free groups embedded in $B$.

Adjoin one stable letter implementing this isomorphism:We assume Britton's lemma, including its assertion that the base embeds in this HNN extension, and the factor-embedding assertion of the normal form theorem for a free product. Hence $G\hookrightarrow E$. The presentation is finite, and its relations express every generator in $a,t$:Eliminating $b,g_i$ by Tietze transformations therefore gives a two-generator finite presentation with $\boxed{G\hookrightarrow E=⟨a,t⟩}$. This explicitly constructs the two-generator HNN embedding; it does not rely on an arbitrary two-generator embedding preserving finite presentability.