Density of random subsets and applications to group theory

Abstract

Developing an idea of M. Gromov, we study the intersection formula for random subsets with density. The \textit{density} of a subset $A$ in a finite set $E$ is defined by $dens A := \log_{|E|}(|A|)$. The aim of this article is to give a precise meaning of Gromov's \textit{intersection formula}: "Random subsets" $A$ and $B$ of a finite set $E$ satisfy $dens (A\cap B) = dens A + dens B -1$. As an application, we exhibit a phase transition phenomenon for random presentations of groups at density $\lambda/2$ for any $0<\lambda<1$, characterizing the $C'(\lambda)$-small cancellation condition. We also improve an important result of random groups by G. Arzhantseva and A. Ol'shanskii from density $0$ to density $0\leq d<\frac{1}{120m^2\ln(2m)}$.