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Simplicial Structures in Topology

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92 II <strong>Simplicial</strong> Complexes<br />

S<strong>in</strong>ce im jn = kerhn, we conclude that, for every n ≥ 0, the sequence<br />

im jn ��<br />

��<br />

Hn(C;G)<br />

hn ��<br />

��<br />

imhn<br />

is short exact.<br />

(II.5.2) Lemma. If the group G is free, the short exact sequence<br />

splits, 4 and so<br />

im jn ��<br />

��<br />

Hn(C;G)<br />

Hn(C;G) ∼ = im jn ⊕ imhn<br />

hn ��<br />

��<br />

imhn<br />

(however, one should note that this isomorphism is not canonic).<br />

Proof. Let us take the homomorphism of Abelian groups<br />

hn : Hn(C;G) → Bn−1(C) ⊗ G.<br />

As a subgroup of the free Abelian group Cn−1, Bn−1(C) is free and by hypothesis<br />

G is also free; then Bn−1(C) ⊗ G is free and it follows that imhn is free. We now<br />

choose, for every generator x ∈ imhn,anelementy ∈ Hn(C;G) such that hn(y)=x;<br />

by l<strong>in</strong>earity, we obta<strong>in</strong> a homomorphism<br />

s: imhn −→ Hn(C;G)<br />

such that hns = 1imhn .Exercise1<strong>in</strong> Sect. II.3 completes the proof.<br />

The homomorphism s depends on the choice of the elements y for the generators<br />

x; therefore, s is not canonically determ<strong>in</strong>ed. �<br />

We now give another <strong>in</strong>terpretation of the groups im jn and imhn. Note that<br />

the quotient group<br />

im jn ∼ = Zn(C) ⊗ G/ker jn = Zn(C) ⊗ G/im(<strong>in</strong> ⊗ 1G);<br />

Zn(C) ⊗ G/im(<strong>in</strong> ⊗ 1G) := coker(<strong>in</strong> ⊗ 1G)<br />

is called cokernel of <strong>in</strong> ⊗ 1G. S<strong>in</strong>ce imhn = ker(<strong>in</strong>−1 ⊗ 1G), the exact sequence<br />

is written as<br />

im jn ��<br />

��<br />

Hn(C;G)<br />

coker(<strong>in</strong> ⊗ 1G) ��<br />

��<br />

Hn(C;G)<br />

hn ��<br />

��<br />

imhn<br />

��<br />

��<br />

ker(<strong>in</strong>−1 ⊗ 1G)<br />

4 The def<strong>in</strong>ition of splitt<strong>in</strong>g short exact sequence can be found <strong>in</strong> Exercise 1, Sect. II.3.

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