Seems like i have some false understanding that need to be fixed. I have check varies sources saying that the mapping class group of a torus is isomorphic to $GL(2,\mathbb Z)$, however my false intuition tells me it should be $SL(2,\mathbb Z)$. Dehn-Lickorish theorem tells us any orientation preserving homeomorphism of a genus $g$ surface can be generated by a product of Dehn twists along 3g-1 curves, in the case of the torus, the curves are the meridian and the preferred longitude. If we consider a homeomorphisms generated by Dehn twists as induced map of linear transformation in the covering space, then MCG($T^2$) should be isomorphic to the group genenrated by $\left[ \begin{array}{cc} 0 & 1 \\ 1 & 1 \end{array} \right]$, $\left[ \begin{array}{cc} 1 & 1 \\ 1 & 0 \end{array} \right]$, where this two matrix corresponds to Dehn twist along meridian and longitude if we compose the matrix with the projection map. But then these two matrices are the generators of $SL(2,\mathbb Z)$, so I thought MCG($T^2$) should be isomorphic to $SL(2,\mathbb Z)$. Could you help me have a look where my understanding went wrong?
2026-03-28 14:38:40.1774708720
Mapping class group of a torus
485 Views Asked by Bumbble Comm https://math.techqa.club/user/bumbble-comm/detail AtRelated Questions in ALGEBRAIC-TOPOLOGY
- How to compute homology group of $S^1 \times S^n$
- the degree of a map from $S^2$ to $S^2$
- Show $f$ and $g$ are both homeomorphism mapping of $T^2$ but $f$ is not homotopy equivalent with $g.$
- Chain homotopy on linear chains: confusion from Hatcher's book
- Compute Thom and Euler class
- Are these cycles boundaries?
- a problem related with path lifting property
- Bott and Tu exercise 6.5 - Reducing the structure group of a vector bundle to $O(n)$
- Cohomology groups of a torus minus a finite number of disjoint open disks
- CW-structure on $S^n$ and orientations
Related Questions in GEOMETRIC-TOPOLOGY
- Finite covers of handlebodies?
- CW complexes are compactly generated
- Constructing a fat Cantor Set with certain property
- Homologically zero circles in smooth manifolds
- Labeled graphs with unimodular adjacency matrix
- Pseudoisotopy between nonisotopic maps
- A topological question about loops and fixed points
- "Continuity" of volume function on hyperbolic tetrahedra
- Example of path connected metric space whose hyperspace with Vietoris topology is not path connected?
- What is the pushout of $D^n \longleftarrow S^{n-1} \longrightarrow D^n$?
Related Questions in MAPPING-CLASS-GROUP
- generators for the mapping class group of a neighborhood of curves?
- Given the transformation $T:\Bbb R^5 \to\Bbb R^2$ where $T(x) = Ax$, how many rows and columns does matrix $A$ have?
- Fixed points of finite order mapping classes
- Any orientation-preserving automorphism of the annulus is isotopic to the identity
- Mapping Class Group acts properly discontinuous; Alexander method
- Mapping class group of $S^p \times S^q$
- Is there a solvable subgroup with finite index and finite type in the mapping class group of a surface?
- spin mapping class group of circles
- Commutativity in Mapping Class Groups
- Homeomorphisms of the 2-sphere $S^2$ fixing a set of points.
Trending Questions
- Induction on the number of equations
- How to convince a math teacher of this simple and obvious fact?
- Find $E[XY|Y+Z=1 ]$
- Refuting the Anti-Cantor Cranks
- What are imaginary numbers?
- Determine the adjoint of $\tilde Q(x)$ for $\tilde Q(x)u:=(Qu)(x)$ where $Q:U→L^2(Ω,ℝ^d$ is a Hilbert-Schmidt operator and $U$ is a Hilbert space
- Why does this innovative method of subtraction from a third grader always work?
- How do we know that the number $1$ is not equal to the number $-1$?
- What are the Implications of having VΩ as a model for a theory?
- Defining a Galois Field based on primitive element versus polynomial?
- Can't find the relationship between two columns of numbers. Please Help
- Is computer science a branch of mathematics?
- Is there a bijection of $\mathbb{R}^n$ with itself such that the forward map is connected but the inverse is not?
- Identification of a quadrilateral as a trapezoid, rectangle, or square
- Generator of inertia group in function field extension
Popular # Hahtags
second-order-logic
numerical-methods
puzzle
logic
probability
number-theory
winding-number
real-analysis
integration
calculus
complex-analysis
sequences-and-series
proof-writing
set-theory
functions
homotopy-theory
elementary-number-theory
ordinary-differential-equations
circles
derivatives
game-theory
definite-integrals
elementary-set-theory
limits
multivariable-calculus
geometry
algebraic-number-theory
proof-verification
partial-derivative
algebra-precalculus
Popular Questions
- What is the integral of 1/x?
- How many squares actually ARE in this picture? Is this a trick question with no right answer?
- Is a matrix multiplied with its transpose something special?
- What is the difference between independent and mutually exclusive events?
- Visually stunning math concepts which are easy to explain
- taylor series of $\ln(1+x)$?
- How to tell if a set of vectors spans a space?
- Calculus question taking derivative to find horizontal tangent line
- How to determine if a function is one-to-one?
- Determine if vectors are linearly independent
- What does it mean to have a determinant equal to zero?
- Is this Batman equation for real?
- How to find perpendicular vector to another vector?
- How to find mean and median from histogram
- How many sides does a circle have?