The study of orderable groups is a topic that is all too often overlooked as a topic in algebra. The subject of orderable groups is a field of study which is directly associated with algebraic group theory, algebraic topology, and set theory. This paper will act as a guide into the world of orderable groups. It begins by enlightening the reader to the fundamental axioms of orderable groups, as well as, noting various important groups on which orders are often considered. We will then consider more interesting groups, on which the placement of orders is considered less often. After considering the orderings placed on various groups, we wish to consider in further detail the topologies of the sets of these orders. In particular, it is important to consider whether the set of orders placed on a particular group is finite or uncountable. We prove the latter by creating a homeomorphism from the group to the Cantor set, a set which is known for its uncountability. / Master of Science

In this paper, we present techniques for proving a group to be non-left-orderable or a unique product group. These methods involve the existence of a mapping from the group to R which obeys a left-multiplication criterion. By determining the existence or non-existence of such a mapping, the desired information about the group can be concluded. As examples, we apply this technique to groups of transformations in hyperbolic 2- and 3- space, and Fibonacci groups. / Master of Science

Let p and q be distinct primes, and G an elementary amenable group that is a residually finite p-group and a residually finite q-group. We conjecture that such groups G are left orderable. In this paper we show some results which came as attempts to prove this conjecture. In particular we give a condition under which split extensions of residually finite p-groups are again residually finite p-groups. We also give an example which shows that even for elementary amenable groups, it is not sufficient for biorderablity that the group be a residually finite p-group and a residually finite q-group. / Master of Science