Tutorial 5

SC-116 Algebraic Structures Autumn 2015

(Group Actions)

(1) Let G be he subgroup of S8 generated by (123)(45) and (78). This subgroup acts on
the set X = {1, 2, ..., 8}. Compute the orbits and stabalizers of each of element of X.
(2) Consider a group G acting on itself by conjugation x 7 gxg 1 . Let g1 , g2 , ..., gr be
the representatives of the distinct conjugacy classes of G not contained in the center
Z(G) of G. The class equation is given by
r
X
|G| = |Z(G)| +
|G : CG (gi )|
i=1

Discuss.
(3) Show that if G is a group whose order is some power of a prime p then G has a
non-trivial center.
(4) If p is prime then a group of order p2 is either cyclic or isomorphic to Zp Zp .
(5) Find the conjugacy classes of D8 .