Free products and the word problem

An example is given to show that even in a variety whose free word problem (identity problem) is solvable, the free product of two recursive presentations with solvable word problems may have unsolvable word problem. Under some extra conditions on the syntax of the identities defining the variety however, the free product is shown to preserve solvability of the word problem for recursive presentations. The conditions can be checked mechanically, and common varieties such as semigroups and groups satisfy them, as well as many less familiar varieties. The results are obtained by using rewrite-completion techniques.Presented by Ralph Freese.