Vertex separators, chordality and virtually free groups.

In this paper, we consider some results obtained for graphs using minimal vertex separators and generalized chordality and translate them to the context of Geometric group theory. Using these new tools, we are able to give two new characterizations for a group to be virtually free. Furthermore, we prove that the Baumslag–Solitar group BS (1 , n) is k -chordal for some k if and only if | n | < 3 and we give an application of generalized chordality to the study of the word problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]