An algebraic classification of some solvable groups of homeomorphisms

Abstract

We produce two separate algebraic descriptions of the isomorphism classes of the solvable subgroups of the group PL o ( I ) of piecewise-linear orientation-preserving homeomorphisms of the unit interval under the operation of composition, and also of the generalized R. Thompson groups F n . The first description is as a set of isomorphism classes of groups which is closed under three algebraic operations, and the second is as the set of isomorphism classes of subgroups of a countable collection of easily described groups. We show the two descriptions are equivalent.