$R$-weighted graphs and commutators

Abstract

In this article, we introduce balance equations over commutative rings $R$ and associate $R$-weighted graphs to them so that solving balance equations corresponds to a consistent labeling of vertices of the associated graph. Our primary focus is the case when $R$ is a commutative local ring whose residue field contains at least three elements. In this case, we provide explicit solutions of balance equations. As an application, letting $R$ to be the ring of $p$-adic integers, we examine some necessary and sufficient conditions for a $p$-group of nilpotency class $2$ to have its set of commutators coincide with its commutator subgroup. We also apply our results to study the surjectivity of the Lie bracket in Lie algebras, without any restriction on their dimension and the underlined field.