AbstractFor any variety of groups, the relative inner rank of a given groupG is defined to be the maximal rank of the -free homomorphic images of G. In this paper we explore metabelian inner ranks of certain one-relator groups. Using the well-known Quillen-Suslin Theorem, in conjunction with an elegant result of Artamonov, we prove that if r is any "Δ-modular" element of the free metabelian group Mn of rank n > 2 then the metabelian inner rank of the quotient group Mn/(r) is at most [n/2]. As a corollary we deduce that the metabelian inner rank of the (orientable) surface group of genus k is precisely k. This extends the corresponding result of Zieschang about the absolute inner ranks of these surface groups. In continuation of some further applications of the Quillen-Suslin Theorem we give necessary and sufficient conditions for a system g = (g1,..., gk) of k elements of a free metabelian group Mn, k ≤ n, to be a part of a basis of Mn. This extends results of Bachmuth and Timoshenko who considered the cases k = n and k < n — 3 respectively.
Alternating forms and one-relator groups