Direct limit of groups

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In mathematics, a direct limit of groups is the direct limit of a direct system of groups. These are central objects of study in algebraic topology, especially stable homotopy theory and homological algebra. They are sometimes called stable groups, though this term normally means something quite different in model theory.

Certain examples of stable groups are easier to study than "unstable" groups, the groups occurring in the limit. This is a priori surprising, given that they are generally infinite-dimensional, constructed as limits of groups with finite-dimensional representations.;

[edit] Examples

Each family of classical groups forms a direct system, via inclusion of matrices in the upper left corner, such as $\operatorname{GL}(n,A) \to \operatorname{GL}(n+1,A)$ . The stable groups are denoted $\operatorname{GL}(A)$ or $\operatorname{GL}(\infty,A)$ .