Math 113 Homework 3

Solutions
due July 11, 2011
1. Let G and G0 be two groups whose orders have no common factor. Prove
that the only homomorphism : G G0 is the trivial one (x) = 1 for
all x.
Solution: Let : G G0 . We know that |G| = |ker()| |im()|, so
in particular |im()| divides |G|. As im() G0 , it is also the case that
|im()| divides |G0 |, so it must be that |im()| = 1, i.e. (x) = 1 for all x.
2. Give an example of a permutation of even order which is odd and an
example of one which is even.
Solution: (12) has order 2 and is odd; (12)(34) likewise has order 2, and
is even.
3. (a) Let H and K be subgroups of a group G. Prove that the intersection
xH yK of two cosets of H and K is either empty or else is a coset
of the subgroup H K.
Solution: If xH yK 6= , let z be an element. Since z xH, it
follows that xH = zH, and likewise that yK = zK. Then a particular
element w lies in xHyK = zHzK iff there is some h H and k K
such that w = zh = zk; but this is true iff z 1 w = h = k H K, i.e.
iff w z(H K). Therefore xH yK is z(H K), a coset of H K.
(b) Prove that if H and K have finite index in G then H K also has
finite index.
Solution: By the above argument, every coset of H K is an intersection of cosets of H and K. Therefore (G : H K) (G : H)(G : K),
which is finite.
4. Prove that a group of order 30 can have at most 7 subgroups of order 5.
Solution: A group of order 5 is cyclic, generated by each of its nonidentity elements. Therefore any two subgroups of order 5 must intersect
trivially, since any non-identity element in the intersection would generate
both of them. So if a group has n subgroups of order 5, it must have at
least 4n + 1 elements (as we must also consider the identity). Therefore a
group of order 30 can have at most 7 subgroups of order 5.
5. Is the symmetric group S3 a direct product of nontrivial groups?
Solution: No. |S3 | = 6, so if S3 were a direct product of nontrivial groups
it would have to be a direct product of a group of order 2 and a group of
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order 3. The only groups of these orders are cyclic. But a direct product
of cyclic groups is abelian (in fact, in this case, cyclic) and S3 is not.
6. Prove that a finite cyclic group of order rs is isomorphic to the product
of cyclic groups of orders r and s if and only if r and s have no common
factor.
Solution: Let t = lcm(r, s).
Then t(a, b) = (ta, tb) = 0 for all (a, b) Zr Zs , so this group cannot be
cyclic unless t = rs, i.e. r and s have no common factor.
Conversely, the order of (1, 1) is exactly t, so Zr Zs is cyclic when r and
s have no common factor.
7. Prove that the product of two infinite cyclic groups is not infinite cyclic.
Solution: Let (a, b) Z Z; it generates the subgroup
{n(a, b) = (na, nb) : n Z}
This subgroup does not contain all of Z Z. In particular, if a 6= 0 then
(a, b + 1)
/ h(a, b)i, while if a = 0 then (1, 0)
/ h(a, b)i. Hence Z Z is
not cyclic.
8. Let G be a finite group whose order is a product of two integers: n = ab.
Let H, K be subgroups of G of orders a, b respectively. Assume that
H K = {1}. Prove that HK = G. Is G isomorphic to the product group
H K?
Solution: We claim that for any h, h0 H and k, k 0 K, hk = h0 k 0 iff
h = h0 and k = k 0 . Clearly the latter implies the former; for the converse,
assume hk = h0 k 0 . Then h01 h = k 0 k 1 , but the left hand side is in H
while the right is in K, so they must both equal the identity by assumption,
and our claim is proven. This implies that |HK| = |H| |K| = ab = n, so
in fact HK = G.
However, G is not necessarily isomorphic to the product H K; for a
counterexample, consider G = S3 , H = h(12)i, K = h(123)i.
9. Prove that if G/Z(G) is cyclic, then G is abelian.
Solution: Suppose G/Z(G) is cyclic, generated by the coset xZ(G). Then
every element of G can be written as xn z for some n Z and some z
Z(G). But two elements of this form commute, as powers of x commute
with other powers of x, and elements of Z(G) commute with everything.
Therefore G is abelian.
10. Identify the quotient group R /P , where P denotes the subgroup of positive real numbers.
Solution: P has merely two cosets, namely itself and P ; so the quotient
must be isomorphic to Z2 . Alternatively, P is the kernel of the homomorphism : R C2 given by (x) = x/|x|.
11. Let H = {1, i} be the subgroup of G = C of fourth roots of unity.
Describe the cosets of H in G explicitly, and prove that G/H is isomorphic
to G.
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Solution: The cosets of H in G are the sets of the form {reit , ireit }
for r P , t [0, /2), where P denotes the subgroup of positive real
numbers.
Observe that the fourth power of each element of a coset of H is the
same element of C , and the cosets of H are exactly the fourth roots of
elements of C . The thereby-well-defined map : G/H G given by
({z, iz}) = z 4 is an isomorphism.
12. Prove that the subset H of G = GLn (R) of matrices whose determinant is
positive forms a normal subgroup, and describe the quotient group G/H.
Solution: H is the kernel of the map : GLn (R) C2 given by (g) =
det(g)/|det(g)|; this map is surjective since there exist invertible matrices
with negative determinant, so the quotient group is the image is the cyclic
group of order 2.
13. Prove that the subset G 1 of the product group G G0 is a normal
subgroup isomorphic to G and that (G G0 )/(G 1) is isomorphic to G0 .
Solution: Let : G G0 G0 be the projection map defined by
((a, b)) = b. is a homomorphism as ((a, b)(c, d)) = ((ac, bd)) =
bd = ((a, b))((c, d)). The kernel of is G 1, which is thereby a normal
subgroup of GG0 . The image of is all of G0 as for every element b G0 ,
((1, b)) = b. Therefore the image, G0 , is isomorphic to the quotient by
the kernel, (G G0 )/(G 1).
14. Prove that if N is a subgroup of an abelian group G, then G/N is abelian.
Solution: Let aN and bN be arbitrary elements of G/N . Then (aN )(bN ) =
abN = baN = (bN )(aN ), so G/N is abelian.
15. Determine the group of automorphisms of the following groups.
(a) C4
Solution: C4 has two generators, namely any one and its inverse,
corresponding to the two positive integers less than 4 and prime to it
(namely 1 and 3); these may be transposed by an automorphism, or
not, giving two automorphisms, so Aut(C4 )
= C2 .
(b) C6
Solution: The analysis is the same as above, as there are only two
positive integers (1 and 5) less than 6 and relatively prime to it (generators of Z6 ).
(c) C2 C2
Solution: The three nontrivial elements of C2 C2 may be permuted
arbitrarily by an automorphism, as any two generate the entire group;
hence Aut(C2 C2 )
= S3 .
16. Let S be a set on which G operates. Prove that the relation s s0 if
s0 = gs for some g G is an equivalence relation.
Solution: Reflexive: s = 1s shows that s s for all s.
Symmetric: s s0 iff s0 = gs for some g G, but then s = g 1 s0 , so
s0 s.
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Transitive: If s s0 and s0 s00 , then there exist g, g 0 G such that

s0 = gs and s00 = g 0 s0 , but then s00 = g 0 gs so s00 s.
17. Let : G G0 be a homomorphism, and let S be a set on which G0 operates. Show how to define an operation of G on S, using the homomorphism
.
Solution: If g G and s S, let gs := (g)s. This satisfies the criteria
for S to be a G-set, as 1G s = (1)s = 1G0 s = s, and (gh)s = (gh)s =
(g)((h)s) = g(hs) for all g, h G.
18. Let G = D4 be the dihedral group of symmetries of the square.
(a) What is the stabilizer of a vertex? an edge?
Solution: The stabilizer of a vertex is the subgroup of order 2 generated by the flip across the diagonal terminating in that vertex. The
stabilizer of an edge is the subgroup of order 2 generated by the flip
orthogonal to that edge.
(b) G acts on the set of two elements consisting of the diagonal lines.
What is the stabilizer of a diagonal?
Solution: The stabilizer of each diagonal is the subgroup of order
4 consisting of the identity, rotation by , and the flip across each
diagonal; this subgroup is isomorphic to Z2 Z2 (notice each nontrivial
element has order 2).
19. Let G be a group.
(a) Show that g h := hg is a left action of G on itself iff G is abelian.
Solution: If this is a left action, then for all g, g 0 G we have
gg 0 = (gg 0 ) 1 = g (g 0 1) = g g 0 = g 0 g
so G is abelian.
Conversely, the identity stabilizes everything, and if G is abelian for
all g, g 0 , h G we have
(gg 0 ) h = h(gg 0 ) = hg 0 g = g (g 0 h)
so we have a left action.
(b) Show that g h := hg 1 is a left action of G on itself.
Solution: For all g, g 0 , h G we have
(gg 0 ) h = h(gg 0 )1 = hg 01 g 1 = g (g 0 h)
so we have a left action.