Math 791 Take Home Test

Spencer Dang
February 22, 2017

1. State the two main steps to prove that any permutations Sn is a product
of transpositions.

Proof. Prove that every permutation is the product of cycles. Then prove that
every cycle is the product of transpositions.

2. Prove |G| = (G : H)|H|. Further, assume |G| = n is finite and a G. Prove

an = e.

Proof. Note that H is a subgroup of G, G is of finite order, and (G : H)

refers to the number of cosets of H in G. This is clear because the equivalence
relation
S defined by inclusion in left (or right cosets) partitions the group G (i.e
aG aH = G. As each partition has the same number of elements, then it is
clear that |G| = |H|(G : H).
Let H = hai. By the previous proof, the m = |H| divides n = |G|. This implies
that an p N such that pm = n, hence

an = (apm ) = (am )p = ep = e

3. Suppose G is a group and |G| = 2n is even. Prove that there is an element

6 e and a2 = e
a G with a =

Proof. Since G is a group, x G implies x1 G. Because the inverse elements

are unique, we can pair off elements with their unique inverse 2(n 1) times.
The last two elements will be e and some y G. If e = y 1 , then y = e.
Therefore,
y 1 = y y 2 = e

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 4. Suppose G is a group and x2 = e for all x G. Prove that G is abelian.

Proof. Let a, b G. Note that by hypothesis, each element is its own inverse,
and by closure, ab G.

(ab)2 = 1 (ab)2 ba = ba ab(abba) = ab(ab)(ab)1 = ba

5. Let G be an abelian group and T := {g G | r > 0 such that g r = e}. Prove

that T is a subgroup of G.

Proof.
Closure: Let x, y G. By hypothesis, there exists r1 , r2 > 0 such that

xr1 = e = y r2 (xy)r1 r2 = (xr1 )r2 (y r2 )r1 = e

Identity: The identity element has order 1 and is in T .

Inverse: Let x G. By hypothesis, there exists r > 0 such that

xr = e xr1 = x1 e = xr

Therefore x1 T and T is a subgroup of G.

6. Suppose f : G G0 is a homomorphism of groups. Suppose H is a subgroup

of G. Prove K = f 1 (H) is a subgroup of G.

Proof.
Closure: Let x, y K. Then f (x), f (y) H.

f (x)f (y) = f (xy) H xy K

Identity: This follows by H being a subgroup and f being a homomorphism.

Inverse: Let x K. Then

f (x) H f (x)1 H f (x1 ) H x1 K

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7. Suppose f : G G0 is a homomorphism of groups and K = ker(f ). Prove

f 1 ({f (a)}) = aK

Proof. Let x f 1 ({f (a)}). Then

f (x) = f (a) f (x)f (a)1 = e0 f (x)f (a1 ) = e0 f (xa1 ) = e0

This implies that xa1 K, therefore x aK.

8. Suppose f : G G0 is a homomorphism of groups. Prove that f is injective if

and only if ker(f ) = e.

Proof. () Suppose that f is injective. Then for x, y G, f (x) = f (y) implies

x = y. Recall that because f is a homomorphism, f (e) = e0 implies e ker(f ).
Since f is injective, ker(f ) = e. () Suppose that ker(f ) = e. Then if x, y G
such that f (x) = f (y):

f (x)f (y)1 = e0 f (xy 1 ) = e0

But since ker(f ) = e, xy 1 = e x = y. Therefore f is injective.

9. Let : G G0 be a homomorphism of groups and K = ker(). Let : G

G/K be the canonical homomorphism defined by (a) = aK. Then define a
homomorphism f : G/K G0 such that = f . Also prove that f is
injective.

Proof. First define f : G/H G0 by f (aH) = (a). Then to see f is well-

defined, let aH, bH G/H with aH = bH. Since the cosets are the same, there
exists h H such that ah = b.

f (bH) = (b) = (ah) = (a)(h) = (a) = f (aH)

Therefore f is well defined. To show that f is a homomorphism, consider aH, bH

as above.

f (aHbH) = f (abH) = (ab) = (a)(b) = f (aH)f (bH)

Therefore f is a homomorphism. To show that the diagram (not shown) com-

mutes is simple. Let x G, then:

f (x) = f (xH) = (x)

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10. Let H be a subgroup of G. Prove

H is normal g G gHg 1 = H g G gHg 1 H

Proof. (1 2) H is normal gH = Hg, g G, thus we immediately get

gHg 1 = H.
(2 3) Because the inclusion is not proper, it follows trivially that gHg 1 H
(3 1) Given that gHg 1 H gH Hg If we apply the relation to g 1 ,
we get g 1 Hg H Hg gH. Thus gH = Hg H is normal.

11. By definition, the commutator [G : G] of a group G is defined to be the subgroup

generated by the commutators C := {[a, b] : a, b G}, where [a, b] = aba1 b1

(a) Prove [G : G] is a normal subgroup of G.

(b) Prove G/[G : G] is a commutative group.
(c) Suppose that N is a normal subgroup of G, such that G/N is commutative.
Prove [G : G] N .

Proof. (a) Suppose x [G : G], then x = ni=1 [ai , bi ] for some ai , bi G. For
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any base element [a, b], conjugation does not take it out of [G : G]. To see this,

g[a, b]g 1 = g 1 aba1 b1 g = (g 1 aba1 )e(b1 g) =

(g 1 aba1 )(gb1 bg 1 )(b1 g) = ((g 1 a)b(g 1 a)1 b1 )(bg 1 b1 g)

Which is clearly in [G : G]. Note that g 1 xg = ni=1 g 1 [ai , bi ]g and since

Q
each g 1 [ai , bi ]g is still in [G : G], their product is in [G : G]. Therefore
g 1 xg [G : G] for x [G : G] [G : G] normal.

(b) Suppose a[G : G], b[G : G] G/[G : G]. Then to prove:

a[G : G]b[G : G] = ab[G : G] = ba[G : G] = b[G : G]a[G : G]

Notice that ab[G : G] = ba[G : G] aba1 b1 [G : G] = [G : G] which is true

because aba1 b1 [G : G]. Therefore G/[G : G] is abelian.

(c) Let aN, bN G/N with abN = baN . Then,

aba1 b1 N = N aba1 b1 N

This implies that [a : b] N, a, b G or [G : G] N .

12. Suppose G is a group and G acts on a set X.

(a) Let x0 X. Define Gx0 = {g G : gx0 = x0 }. Prove Gx0 is a subgroup of

G.

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 (b) Define the map G/Gx0 Gx0 and prove that it is well defined and bijec-
tive.

Proof.
Closure: If g, h Gx0 then gh(x0 ) = g(h(x0 )) = g(x0 ) = x0 . Therefore gh Gx0 .
Identity: By the definition of the identity element in G, ex0 = x0 e Gx0 .
Inverse: If g Gx0 , then gx0 = x0 = x0 = g 1 x0 . Therefore, g 1 Gx0 .
For part b, define : G/Gx0 Gx0 by (aGx0 ) = ax0 and a G.

Well-defined: If f Gx0 , gGx0 G/Gx0 and f Gx0 = gGx0 , then by definition f = gh for
some h Gx0 . Since h Gx0 , hx0 = x0 , thus

(f Gx0 ) = f x0 = ghx0 = g(h(x0 )) = g(x0 ) = (gGx0 )

so is well-defined.
Bijective: If y = ax0 Gx0 , then (aGx0 ) = ax0 is onto. If (aGx0 ) = (bGx0 ),
then ax0 = bx0 . It follows that

b1 ax0 = x0 b1 a Gx0 aGx0 = bGx0

Therefore, is bijective.