Name:

Abstract Algebra
Math 481 Winter 2004
Professor Ben Richert

Exam 1
Key

Problem 1. (25 pts.)

(a – 5 pts) Write the permutation α = (1235)(24567)(1872)(2946) as a product of disjoint cycles in the
canonical form discussed in class.
Solution. We use the method described in class (and in the book) by reading the expression
right to left, (and reading left to right within the individual cycles). So, in canonical form,
α = (1835629)(47). 
(b – 5 pts) For what n is α a permutation in Sn ?
Solution. As it stands, writing α down uses the integers from 1 to 9, and so α certainly gives
instructions for permuting 9 elements (that is, α ∈ S9 ). Of course, α can also be said to act on
a set of more than 9 elements—we simply let it permute {1, . . . , 9} as before and fix all larger
integers. (Another way to say this is that can write (1835629)(47) = (1835629)(47)(10) =
(1835629)(47)(10)(11) = · · · ). So α is a permutation in Sn for n ≥ 9. 
(c – 5 pts) What is the inverse of α?
Solution. The inverse of α is (1926538)(47). Note that the cycles are (1835629) and (47)
written backwards. This should be the inverse because we read from left to right in a cycle—
thus to invert that action we should reverse the cycle. Of course, that isn’t a proof, but
multiplying α and our candidate together do verify that this is the inverse as claimed. 
(d – 5 pts) What is the order of α?
Solution. According to a theorem from the text, the order of a permutation in disjoint cycle
form is the least common multiple of the lengths of the cycles. For us, α = (1835629)(47),
so we have lengths 7, and 2. Thus the order of α is lcm(7, 2) = 14. 
(e – 5 pts) Is α an even or an odd permutation?
Solution. The algorithm we used in class to write a cycle as a product of transpositions is
(a1 , · · · , an ) = (a1 an )(a1 an−1 ) · · · (a1 a2 ).
So α can be written as (19)(12)(16)(15)(13)(18)(47). From this it is apparent that α is an
odd cycle (it is made up of seven transpositions). 
Problem 2. (15 pts.) Prove that elements of finite order in an Abelian group G form a subgroup
of G.
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Solution. Let H = {g ∈ G | |g| < ∞}. By our usual theorem, it is enough to demonstrate that
H 6= ∅, and that for all a, b ∈ H, ab−1 ∈ H. That H 6= ∅ is clear because the identity element e ∈ G
has finite order (in particular, e1 = e so |e| = 1), and thus e ∈ H. Suppose then that a, b ∈ H.
Making use of the fact that G is Abelian and the fact that (b−1 )n = (bn )−1 , we note that
(ab−1 )|a||b| = (a|a| )|b| ((b−1 )|b| )|a| = e|b| ((b|b| )−1 )|a| = e((e)−1 )|a| = e.
Thus |ab−1 | ≤ |a||b| < ∞, and so ab−1 ∈ H as required. 
Problem 3. (10 pts.) Prove that |ab| = |ba| for any a, b ∈ G, G a group.
Solution. Suppose that ab has infinite order. Then if |ba| = n < ∞, we have that (ba)n = e and
thus a(ba)n b = aeb, that is (ab)n+1 = ab. Canceling a copy of (ab) from both sides, we have that
(ab)n = e, which is a contradiction, thus we conclude that |ab| = |ba| = ∞.
So suppose that |ab| = m < ∞. Then (ab)m = e, and b(ab)m a = bea and hence (ba)m+1 = ba.
Canceling a copy of (ba) from both sides yields (ba)n = e and thus |ba| ≤ |ab|. By symmetry,
|ab| ≤ |ba|, and thus |ab| = |ba| as required. 
Problem 4. (15 pts.) Discuss the cyclic group Z18 . (What is its order, which elements are its
generators, how many subgroups does it have and what are they?)
Solution. There are two relevant facts (two corollaries) which we will use below. The first is that
a ∈ Zn generates Zn if and only if (a, n) = 1. The second fact is that for each divisor k of n, there
is exactly one subgroup hn/ki of Zn , and that these are the only subgroups.
Now the order Z18 is 18 (because Z18 = {0, 1, . . . , 17} setwise by definition). By the first fact above
we can identify the generators of Z18 ; they are the integers 1, 5, 7, 11, 13, and 17. The divisors of
18 are 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, and 18, so by the second fact above these correspond to the subgroups h0i, h9i,
h6i, h3i, h2i, h1i = Z18 which have orders 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, and 18 respectively. 
Problem 5. (10 pts.) Use induction to show that (ab)n = an bn for a, b in an Abelian group G.
Solution. The assertion is obvious if n = 0 so we will assume that (ab)n = an bn for some n ≥ 0, and
demonstrate the veracity of the statement (ab)n+1 = an+1 bn+1 . Now (ab)n+1 = (ab)n (ab) = an bn ab
by the induction hypothesis, and because G is Abelian, an bn ab = an abn b = an+ bn+1 . Thus by
induction, (ab)n = an bn for all n ≥ 0, a, b ∈ G, G an Abelian group.
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If n < 0, we then note that (ab)n = (ab)−|n| = (ab)|n| = (a|n| b|n| )−1 = (b|n| )−1 (a|n| )−1 =
(b−|n| )(a−|n| ) = bn an = an bn (we made use of the Abelian hypothesis, the fact that (ab)−1 = b−1 a−1 ,
and the statement for positive n proved above).