Paper 3, Section II, H

Algebraic Topology
Part II, 2018

(a) State a version of the Seifert-van Kampen theorem for a cell complex XX written as the union of two subcomplexes Y,ZY, Z.

(b) Let

Xn=S1S1nRP2X_{n}=\underbrace{S^{1} \vee \ldots \vee S^{1}}_{n} \vee \mathbb{R} P^{2}

for n1n \geqslant 1, and take any x0Xnx_{0} \in X_{n}. Write down a presentation for π1(Xn,x0)\pi_{1}\left(X_{n}, x_{0}\right).

(c) By computing a homology group of a suitable four-sheeted covering space of XnX_{n}, prove that XnX_{n} is not homotopy equivalent to a compact, connected surface whenever n1n \geqslant 1.