Insolubility of the Problem of Homeomorphy* ALA. Markov 1958 1. We consider, from the general problem of homeomorphiy, the problem of finding an algorithin that determines whether two given polyhedra are homeomorphie. In this case, polyhedra are combinatorially given throngh thir triangulation and we must understand the term “algo- rithm” in the precise sense what the it offers ie., e.g., a8 a “classifying algorithun™ In addition to the general problem of the Homeomorphy, there are, of course, different sub- problems which themselves refer to polyhedra or the those resulting classes. One aay, for example, set up the problem of homeomorphy for polyhedra of degree no higher than 1, fixed natural number. One may, in exactly the same way, set up the problem of homeomorphy for the u-inanifolds, if one could clearly decide what a “manifold” is, Another natural restriction that can be made to the polyhedra to be matched is fixing one of them, In this ease, the problem of the homeomorphy of a given polyhedron A consists of finding. an algorithm which, for any polyhedron, determines whether it the polyhedron A. is homeamorphic to One of these problems has been solved for a Tong time, ie. the problem of homeomorphy for manifolds or the problem of the homeomorphy of a given 2-manifold. However, we have found the following results: ‘Theorem 1 For every natural number n > 3. one can create an n-manifold M", such that the problem of homcomorphy of manifolds to M" is undecidable. Hero, we use Poincaré’s and Voblen’s definition of » “manifold” Corollary 1 The problem of homeomorphy of manifolds is undecidable for n> 3 Corollary 2 The problem of homeomorphy for polyhedza of degree no higher than n is undecidable for m > 3. Corollary 3 The general problem of homeotnorphy is undecidable, “Translated fom Gorman by Affe Zomorodian on Februory 8, 1008 at the University of Illinois at Urbans- Mhampaign. German trassiation by Rolf Herken.2. Outline of the Proof for Theorem 1 Let Kt be a 4-dimonsional ball in the 4-dimensional spherical space $4; $* its boundary; ?, 3-dimensional ball; £, the interval [-1,1] on the number bine Z= Kx! ‘where ¥ is the sign of topological multiplication and ris @ natural number. We create a. system of r pairwiso-ditforent differentiable representations @;....,¢,, for the space Z in $4, ‘hich has the the following characteristics: O2NGZ=0 (Ga Mei AD KineZ cst i SoZ =o(K3 x {-1,1)) where 0 is the empty set Wo may form a polyhedron Ly KAU ia 2, in other words, we attach r handles to the 4-dimensional ball A o:Z( a) In the space Z, linear sections form naturally. We agree to characterize the linear section ‘through [x,y] in Z with endpoints x and y, We also employ the same designation for the linear sections in the ball K* with endpoints « and y. We define 2r-letter alphabet: Ty = fahewaaq year} Lot P be a word over the alphabet Ty. We agrece to call every simple closed enrve W, obtained as described below, an image of P. If P is empty, any arbitrary circumference that lis in the interior of K* may be taken as W. Given P not empty and Ww whore #,...,i, are the numbers 1,...,7 and ¢j = +1(j = 1,..., 8). We choose in the interior of the ball K® the points #1,...,24.3is++-+¥s $0 that the following conditions are fulfilled: ins S15 FM), [ep -E). rN On elu Ol =O Gh= Mecca thsi, (0, )sOi.sl@pey —G40)] 15 (sen) Pings nyse) = OG, where 2541 is 2 and y.s1 is y1. This is always possible, Supposing that W = Uhi(Aju Bi)where Ay = i,[(j,—€)), 6) b= 8yl0y.-6) lone Ofmtipeas By = WiGne)oyalesr go JY Tris clonr that tho representation of ovory word over the alphabet Ts a plocowiso lnoar simple closed curve in the interior of L, ‘The representation W of @ word withont blanks (1) may be built up just as shown. Tt char- acterizes c as the center of the ball K?. The topological representation ¥ of the polyhedron K® x W in the interior of Z, may bo built go that st has the following characteristics: TL. B(6,2) = a(x € W). ‘T2. W is difforontiable on every polyhedron K x Aj 73. W is differentiable on every polyhedron KS Bj TA. W(K? x Aj) COZ TS. UK? x B;) CRY TF © has these qualities, we will say over the interior of the quantities (A < WV), that it is a tunnel of the word P. For an empty word, the tunnels are defined analogously with one difference that ¥ nmst be the differentiable image of the polyhedrou A x W in the interior of the ball, which fullills condition. It is not hard to see, that the tunnel of a word over the alphabet P, is contained in the neighborhood of the image of that word. Let P+ Py be fa system of words over the alphabet ['... We construct for each i(L < # Qm #7) are homeomorphic if there exist numbers ¢ and A in 1,...,m with 1% h, such that Q@ = AR and equality (3) holds with 1 < 7 3. Corollary 2 The problem of homotopy equivalence of polyhedra of degree no greater than nis undecidable for n > 3. Corollary 3 The general problem of homotopy equivalence is rmdecidable. cf also (6)