Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2009 / ii / Paper 3 / 3F (Geometry of Group Actions)

Consider the Möbius transformationsTheir group lies in ${\mathrm{PSL}}_2(\mathbb{Z})$, which is a discrete subgroup of the Möbius group: integer entries cannot approach the identity matrix except by eventually equalling it, and passing to the quotient by $\{I,-I\}$ preserves this property.

For freeness let $X=\{x\in \mathbb{R}:|x|>1\}$ and $Y=\{x\in \mathbb{R}:|x|<1\}$. For every nonzero integer $n$, $A^n(Y)=(2n-1,2n+1)\subset X$ andA reduced word involving both generators can be conjugated to a cyclically reduced word beginning with $A^n$ and ending with a nonzero power of $B$, after interchanging the generators if necessary. Repeated use of these inclusions shows that this word sends $X$ into the proper subset $A^n(Y)$ of $X$, so it cannot be the identity. Nonzero pure powers of either generator are also nonidentity. This is the ping-pong lemma in this particular action, and proves that $\boxed{⟨A,B⟩\cong F_2}$ is a free group of rank two as well as a discrete subgroup of ${\mathrm{PSL}}_2(\mathbb{C})$.