A group is polycyclic when it has a subnormal series with cyclic factors. Every subgroup and quotient of a polycyclic group is finitely generated, and extensions of polycyclic groups are polycyclic.
Every polycyclic group has a finite-index subgroup with a series whose nontrivial factors are infinite cyclic. This is the polycyclic finite-index lemma; it also supplies torsion-free finite-index subgroups. Such a subgroup is a poly-infinite cyclic group. Combining its series with the extension rule for Poincare duality groups makes it a duality group of dimension its Hirsch length.
The Hirsch length of a polycyclic group counts infinite cyclic factors in a polycyclic series. Refinement shows it is independent of the series, additive in extensions, and unchanged in finite-index subgroups. A finite-index poly-infinite cyclic group has one infinite cyclic factor for each unit of Hirsch length.
A poly-infinite cyclic group has a finite subnormal series all of whose nontrivial factors are infinite cyclic groups. Intersecting its series with a subgroup again gives trivial or infinite cyclic factors; repetitions may be deleted. Splicing a kernel series with the preimage of a quotient series proves closure under extensions. Such groups are finitely presented groups: induct on the series, split the last extension by an infinite cyclic quotient, and use finite presentation of a semidirect product.
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