Simpler Maltsev conditions for (weak) difference terms in locally finite varieties

Abstract

This paper is motivated by a practical question: given a finite algebra A in a finite language, how can we best program a computer to decide whether the variety generated by A has a difference term, and how hard is it to find the difference term? To help address this question, we produce a simple Maltsev condition which characterizes difference terms in the class of locally finite varieties. We do the same for weak difference terms.