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Homework 7 - Solutions: G Be A Group of Order 55. G Is Generated by Two Elements X, Y, With The Relations X y Yxy X R

This document contains solutions to homework problems from an abstract algebra class. It addresses questions about groups of a certain order, properties of the commutator subgroup, and isomorphism theorems. Specifically: 1) It proves that a group of order 55 is generated by two elements satisfying given relations. 2) It shows that certain values are not possible for the relation between the two generators. 3) It demonstrates that the remaining values are possible and there are two isomorphism classes of such groups. 4) It addresses properties of the commutator subgroup, including that it is characteristic and its relationship to the abelianity of quotient groups. 5) References are made to proofs in an algebra

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422 views4 pages

Homework 7 - Solutions: G Be A Group of Order 55. G Is Generated by Two Elements X, Y, With The Relations X y Yxy X R

This document contains solutions to homework problems from an abstract algebra class. It addresses questions about groups of a certain order, properties of the commutator subgroup, and isomorphism theorems. Specifically: 1) It proves that a group of order 55 is generated by two elements satisfying given relations. 2) It shows that certain values are not possible for the relation between the two generators. 3) It demonstrates that the remaining values are possible and there are two isomorphism classes of such groups. 4) It addresses properties of the commutator subgroup, including that it is characteristic and its relationship to the abelianity of quotient groups. 5) References are made to proofs in an algebra

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MAT 444 – H.

Barcelo
Spring 2004
Homework 7 – Solutions
Section 6.5
Question:
4. Let G be a group of order 55.
a) Prove that G is generated by two elements x, y, with the relations
x11 = 1, y 5 = 1, yxy −1 = x r , for some r, 1 ≤ r < 11 .

Answer:
a) Assume | G | = 55 = 5.11 . By the third Sylow theorem we can conclude that G has one
Sylow 11-subgroup and either 1 or 5 Sylow 5-subgroups.
Let H be the only Sylow 11-subgroup, then H = x where | x | = 11 . Let K be a Sylow
5-subgroup, then K = y where | y | = 5 . Since the orders of H and K are distinct
primes we have that H ∩ K = 1 . Hence, the product map p : H × K → G is injective,
but | HK | = 55 and HK ≤ G , so G ≈ H × K . Next, since H G , then yHy −1 = H
which means that yxy −1 = x r for some 0 ≤ r < 11 . But if r = 0 we have
yxy −1 = 1 ⇒ x = 1 a contradiction. Thus yxy −1 = x r for 1 ≤ r < 11 .

Question:
b) Prove that the following values of r are not possible: 2, 6, 7, 8, 10.

Answer:
b) Note that for any integer t, yxt y −1 = ( yxy −1 ) ( yxy −1 )… ( yxy −1 ) = ( x r )t = x rt
t factors
−5 −1 −4
x = y xy = y yxy y = y x y
5 4 4 4 r

But =
= xr
5

Which means that r 5 ≡ 1 mod 11 . Hence the integers 2, 6, 7, 8 and 10 are not possible
solutions to this equation while 1, 3, 4, 5, or 9 are possible solutions.

Question:
c) Prove that the remaining values are possible, and there are two isomorphism classes of
groups of order 55.
MAT 444 – Barcelo
Homework 4 Page 2

Answer:
c) Let n5 = 1 then K = y G and from proposition 2.8.6 we have that
G ≈ H × K ≈ C11 × C5 ≈ C55 and thus G is the cyclic (abelian) group of order 55. If
n5 ≠ 1 then clearly K is not a normal subgroup of G, and thus G is not abelian. We claim
that all the groups Gi = x, y ; x11 , y 5 , yxy −1 x −i are isomorphic for i = 3, 4, 5, 9 . One
way to do this is to show that say Gi for i = 3, 4, 5 are isomorphic to G9 . So in G9 we
have that yxy −1 = x9 . Notice that in G3 we have yxy −1 = x3 . Substituting y 2 for y we
have that y 2 x y −2 = yx3 y −1 = x9 . But y 2 is also a generator for K = y . Thus
G3 = x, y′ ; x11 , ( y′)5 , y′x( y′) −1 x −9 ≈ G9 , where y′ = y 2 . Similarly for G4 substitute
y 3 for y, and in G5 y 4 for y , to obtain G4 ≈ G5 ≈ G3 ≈ G9 .

Section 6

Question:
18. Prove that if a proper normal subgroup of Sn contains a 3-cyle, it is An .

Answer:
Let H Sn be a proper normal subgroup of Sn for n ≥ 3 and assume that σ ∈ H , where σ
is a 3-cycle.

Since H Sn we have that τ Hτ −1 = H , ∀τ ∈ Sn , which means that τ σ τ −1 ∈ H , ∀τ ∈ Sn ,


hence that H contains all 3-cyles of Sn since 3-cycles are all conjugate to one another. Thus,
we have that An ≤ H ; but since [ Sn : An ] = 2 and since H is a proper subgroup of Sn , we
have that An = H . Note, in this proof we are assuming the result of exercise #17 that says
that An is generated by 3-cycles.
Section 8

Question:
9. The commutator subgroup C of a group G is the smallest subgroup containing all
commutators.
a) Prove that the commutator subgroup is a characteristic subgroup.

Answer:
a) Let G be a group and C = {aba b a, b ∈ G} be the smallest subgroup of G that
−1 −1

contains C; this means that C is generated by elements of the form


(aba −1b −1 )i for i = 1, or − 1 , note that if i = − 1 (aba −1b −1 ) −1 = bab −1a −1 which is of the
form cdc −1d −1 . Let γ ∈ Aut(G ) . Then γ (aba −1b −1 ) = γ (a) γ (b) γ (a) −1γ (b) −1 ∈ C . Since
γ is a group automorphism if the generators of C are mapped into C then γ (C ) = C .

Typeset by Georgeann Lorentz


MAT 444 – Barcelo
Homework 4 Page 3

Question:
b) Prove that G / C is an abelian group.

Answer:
b) Since γ ∈ Aut(G ) , then for all inner automorphisms I g we have that
I g (C ) = gCg −1 = C . Thus C G . Next, consider G / C ⋅ ∀ a, b ∈ G we have that
aba −1b −1 ∈ C ⇒ aba −1b −1C = C
⇒ ab(ba) −1 C = C
⇒ abC (ba ) −1 C = C
⇒ (ab)C = (ba )C
⇒ aC ⋅ bC = bC ⋅ aC
which means that G / C is abelian

Question:
14. Let N be a normal subgroup of a group G. Prove that G / N is abelian if and only if N
contains the commutator subgroup of G.

Answer:
Let N G . First we show that if N ⊇ C , where C is the commutator subgroup of G, then
G / N is abelian. Since N ⊃ C , then for all a, b ∈ G we have that aba −1b −1 ∈ N . Then
proceed as in the previous exercise.

Next we show that if G / N is abelian then N contains C. ∀ a, b ∈ G we have that


aNbN = bNaN ⇒ abN = baN
⇒ (ba ) abN = N
⇒ a −1b −1abN = N
⇒ a −1b −1ab ∈ N ∀ a, b ∈ G
⇒ N contains C .

Typeset by Georgeann Lorentz


MAT 444 – Barcelo
Homework 4 Page 4

Miscellaneous Problems

Question:
7. Let H, N be subgroups of a group G, and assume that N is a normal subgroup.
a) Determine the kernels of the restrictions of the canonical homomorphism
π : G → G / N to the subgroups H and HN.
b) Apply the First Isomorphism Theorem to these restrictions to prove the Second
Isomorphism Theorem: H / H ( H ∩ N ) is isomorphic to ( HN ) / N .
Answers:
See Fraleigh’s book: A first course in Abstract Algebra, page 211.

Question:
8. Let H, N be normal subgroups of a group G such that H ⊃ N , and let
H = H /N, G = G/N .
a) Prove that H is a normal subgroup of G .

c) Use the composed homomorphism G → G → G / H to prove the Third Isomorphism


Theorem: G / H is isomorphic to G / H .

Answers:
See Fraleigh’s book: A first course in Abstract Algebra, page 211.

Typeset by Georgeann Lorentz

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