HOMEWORK:

Optional but recommended

Read sections 2.1, 2.2.

Do exercises 2.1.5, 2.1.7, 2.2.1, 2.2.15, 2.2.20(a).
HOMEWORK (required)

Read §§ 2.3, 2.4

Do exercises 2.3.1, 2.3.11, 2.3.12, 2.4.3, 2.4.6, 2.4.11
HOMEWORK (required):

1. Read section 1.4 in Artin.

2. Let V denote the Klein 4-group. Show that Aut(V) is isomorphic to S3.

3. Define f : GLn(R) → GLn(R) by f(A) = tA-1 (where tA is the transpose of A). Show
that f is an automorphism, but not an inner automorphism for n ≥ 1.

4. Do problem 1.4.5 from Artin.

Homework (required):

Read §§ 2.5, 2.6

Do exercises 2.5.1, 2.5.6, 2.6.2, 2.6.4, 2.6.5
To prepare for next lecture: read § 2.9
Homework (required):

Do exercises 2.9.2, 2.9.4, 2.9.5, 2.9.8

Read §2.10
Homework (required):

Exercises 2.10.1, 2.10.3, 2.10.5, 2.10.6

Read §§3.1, 3.2 for next lecture
Homework (required):

Exercises 3.1.1, 3.1.5, 3.2.1, 3.2.7, 3.2.15

Read §3.3 for next lecture
Homework (required):

Do exercises 3.3.1, 3.3.5, 3.3.6, 3.3.7

For next lecture, read §3.4
Homework (required):

Do exercises 3.4.2, 3.4.3, 3.4.9, 4.3.1.

Read §§4.1, 4.2 for next lecture.
Homework (required):

Do exercises 4.1.1, 4.1.5, 4.1.8, 4.2.2, 4.2.5.

Read §§4.3, 4.4 for next lecture.
Homework (required):

Prepare for the midterm:

Reread the assigned sections of Artin.
Review assigned homework problems and solutions.
Try the practice midterm included in this document
(and check your answers against the solutions
also included in this document).
Try other problems from the relevant sections of Artin.
Do exercises 4.3.5, 4.3.10, 4.4.2, 4.4.7.
Read §4.5 for next lecture.
Practice Midterm 1 Math 122/E222

(1) Define a normal subgroup. Show that any normal subgroup is the
kernel of a homomorphism.
(2) Enumerate the 6 subgroups of S3 and identify which are normal.
(3) Let Z be the center of a group G. Show that Z is a normal subgroup.
Suppose G/Z is cyclic. Show that G is abelian.
(4) Let G be the group (Z/pZ)2 under addition. Calculate the automor-
phism group of G.
(5) Let F be a field and let E = {e1 , e2 } be the standard basis of F 2 .
When is S = {e1 + e2 , e1 − e2 } a basis?
Let T be the linear operator F 2 → F 2 whose matrix with respect to
E is  
5 2
.
1 8
If S is a basis, write the matrix of T with respect to it.
(6) Let V be the vectorspace of polynomials of degree ≤ 2 over Z/3Z
with indeterminate X. Show that B = {1 + X, X + X 2 , 1 + X 2 }
is a basis for V . Let T : V → V be the linear map T (f (X)) =
d
dx
f (X). Write T with respect to the basis B and calculate the image
of T .

1
2

Solutions
(1) A normal subgroup H of a group G is a subgroup such that for
every g ∈ G and h ∈ H, ghg −1 ∈ H. Given a normal subgroup
H EG, we know that the set of left cosets G/H forms a group under
(xH)(yH) = (xy)H. The map f : G → G/H taking x 7→ xH is a
well-defined homomorphism with kernel H.
(2) Let e denote the identity in S3 , let τij be the transposition exchang-
ing i and j, and let σijk be the permutation taking i 7→ j, j 7→ k,
k 7→ i. Then
S3 = {e, τ12 , τ23 , τ13 , σ123 , σ321 }
and the six subgroups are:
{e} , {e, τ12 } , {e, τ23 } , {e, τ13 } , {e, σ123 , σ321 } , S3 .

Only three of them are normal:

{e} , {e, σ123 , σ321 } , S3 .
since the transpositions get taken to different transpositions by con-
jugation, and the cycles σ get permuted by conjugation.
(3) By definition, every element of Z commutes with every element of
G so gzg −1 = z ∈ Z for every g ∈ G, z ∈ Z. Assume now
G/Z is cyclic. Then there is x ∈ G such that every element of
G/Z is of the form xn Z (n ∈ Z), and hence every element of G
can be written in the form xn z with n ∈ Z and z ∈ Z. Since
(xn z)(xm z 0 ) = xn+m zz 0 = (xm z 0 )(xn z) for all n, m ∈ Z and
z, z 0 ∈ Z, we conclude that G is abelian.
(4) Suppose f : (Z/pZ)2 → (Z/pZ)2 is a group isomorphism. Then
for every c ∈ Z/pZ,
f (c(x, y)) = f ((x, y) + · · · + (x, y))
= f ((x, y)) + · · · + f ((x, y)) = cf ((x, y))
(where each sum is taken to be c-fold, c ∈ Z). Thus f is in fact a
linear map, and so f ∈ GL((Z/pZ)2 ). We conclude that
Aut(G) = GL2 (Z/pZ)
  
a b
= : a, b, c, d ∈ Z/pZ, ad − bc 6= 0 .
c d
 3

(5) Let v1 = e1 + e2 and v2 = e1 − e2 . Note that if 2 = 0 in F

then v1 + v2 = 0 so S is not linearly independent. However, if
2 6= 0 in F , then 2 is invertible so e1 = 2−1 (v1 + v2 ) and e2 =
2−1 (v1 − v2 ). Hence S spans, and since V is 2-dimensional, the
dimension formula implies that S must in fact be a basis.
By the theory of change of basis, the matrix of T with respect to
S is
 −1     
1 1 5 2 1 1 8 −2
= .
1 −1 1 8 1 −1 −1 5

(6) Write v1 = 1 + X, v2 = X + X 2 , v3 = 1 + X 2 . Since

1 = −v1 + v2 − v3 (note that − 2 = 1),
X = v1 − 1, and X 2 = v3 − 1,
we see that B = {v1 , v2 , v3 } spans V . Since V is 3-dimensional,
the dimension formula implies that B is a basis. Noting carefully
the arithmetic of Z/3Z, we calculate
T (v1 ) = 1 = −v1 + v2 − v3
T (v2 ) = 1 + 2X = 1 − (v1 − 1) = −v1 − (−v1 + v2 − v3 ) = −v2 + v3
T (v3 ) = 2X = −(v1 − 1) = −v1 + (−v1 + v2 − v3 ) = v1 + v2 − v3 .
Thus the matrix of T with respect to B is
 
−1 0 1
 1 −1 1 .
−1 1 −1
d
Since dX (a + bX + cX 2 ) = b + 2cX, it follows that the image of
V consists of all polynomials of degree ≤ 1 (and hence in terms of
B, is spanned by {−v1 + v2 − v3 , −v1 − v2 + v3 )}).
Homework (required):

Do exercises 4.5.1, 4.5.3, 4.5.4, 4.5.11

Read §§5.1, 5.2 for next lecture
Homework (required):

Do exercises 5.1.2, 5.1.4, 5.2.3, 5.2.4

Read §5.3 for next lecture
Homework (required):

Do exercises 5.3.1, 5.3.2, 5.3.5

Read §5.4 for next lecture
Homework (required):

Do exercises 5.4.6, 5.4.7, 5.4.10

Read §§5.5, 5.6 for next lecture
Homework (required):

Do exercises 5.5.2, 5.5.4, 5.5.5, 5.6.1, 5.6.6

Read §5.7 for next lecture
Homework (required):

Do exercises 5.7.1, 5.7.4, 5.7.6

Read §§6.1, 6.2 for next lecture
Homework (required):

Do exercises 6.1.3, 6.1.4, 6.1.14, 6.2.7

Read §6.3 for next lecture
Homework (required):

Do exercises 6.3.3, 6.3.5, 6.3.8, 6.3.10

Read §6.4 for next lecture
Homework (required):

Do exercises 6.4.2, 6.4.3, 6.4.6, 6.4.9

Read §6.6
Homework (required):

Do exercises 6.6.5, 6.6.6, 6.6.10, 6.6.15

Homework (required):

Read §§ 10.1, 10.2 for next lecture.

Homework (optional, not for extra credit):

The purpose of this assignment is to prove that A5 is simple using

Sylow theory. Notice that h(12345)i and h(13245)i are distinct Sylow
5-subgroups of A5 . Thus it suffices to prove:
If |G| = 60 and G has more than one Sylow 5-subgroup, then G is
simple.

We proceed by contradiction. Let G be a group of order 60 and suppose

n5 (G) := # {Sylow 5-subgroups} > 1,
and H C G, H 6= 1, G.
(1) Show that n5 (G) = 6.
Let P be a Sylow 5-subgroup. Since [G : NG (P )] = n5 (G) = 6, we
have |NG (P )| = 10.

Claim 1. 5 - |H|
We prove the claim by contradiction. Suppose 5|#H.
(2) Show that this implies H contains every Sylow 5-subgroup of G.
(3) Show that H must contain at least 24 elements of order 5.
(4) Show that #H = 30.
The Sylow theorem shows that n3 (H) must be 1 or 10.
(5) Show that n3 (H) cannot equal 10 (count elements).
Thus n3 (H) is 1 and we may let Q C H be the Sylow 3-subgroup of H.
Recall that also P ⊂ H.
(6) Show that P Q is a subgroup of H of order 15.
Since [H : P Q] = 2, P Q C H. The Sylow theorem implies that
n5 (P Q) = 1, and since P ⊂ P Q is a Sylow 5-subgroup, we must
have P C P Q.
(7) Show that P must therefore actually be normal in H.
This is a contradiction since n5 (H) = 6, and the claim is proved.
1
2

So now we know 5 - #H. The claim shows that there is no nontrivial

proper normal subgroup of G with order divisible by 5. To get a con-
tradiction, we will construct from H another normal subgroup H2 C G,
H2 6= 1, G such that 5|#H2 .
Claim 2. G contains a normal subgroup of order 2, 3 or 4.
Since 5 - #H, the only possible orders for H are 2, 3, 4, 6, 12.
(8) Show that if H has order 6 then G contains a normal subgroup
of order 3.
(9) Show that if H has order 12 then G contains a normal subgroup
of order 3 or 4.
Thus indeed there is H1 C G of order 2, 3 or 4, proving the claim.
Let G = G/H1 , which must have order 30, 20 or 15.
(10) Show that in any of these cases G contains a normal 5-Sylow
subgroup P .

Let H2 = g ∈ G : g mod H ∈ P ⊂ G .
(11) Show that H2 is a normal subgroup of G which is neither 1 nor
G, and that 5|#H2 .
This contradicts Claim 1. Hence A5 is simple.
Homework (required):

Do exercises 10.1.1, 10.1.2, 10.1.9, 10.1.11, 10.1.14

Read §10.3 for next lecture
Homework (required):

Do exercises 10.3.8, 10.3.19, 10.3.29, 10.3.30, 10.3.31

Read §10.4 for next lecture
Homework (required):

Do exercises 10.4.2, 10.4.4, 10.4.5

Read §10.5 for next lecture
Homework (required):

Do exercises 10.5.2, 10.5.12, 10.5.14

Read §10.6 for next lecture
Homework (required):

Prepare for the midterm:

Reread the assigned sections of Artin.
Review assigned homework problems and solutions.
Try the practice midterm included in this document
(and check your answers against the solutions
also included in this document).
Try other problems from the relevant sections of Artin
Practice Midterm 2 Math 122/E222

(1) Let G be a group acting on a set S. Define the stabilizer of s ∈ S.

Let G be the group of motions of the plane, and let p be a point in
the plane. What is the stabilizer of p in G?
(2) Let G be a finite group. What does it mean for G to be a p-group?
Suppose G is a finite p-group. Show that the center of G is nontriv-
ial.
(3) Let G be a finite group of order n, and let F be any field. Prove that
G is isomorphic to a subgroup of GLn (F ).
(4) State the Sylow theorems for a finite group G of order pe a where
p - a and e ≥ 1.
Prove that if G has composite order n = pe a where 1 ≤ a < p and
e ≥ 1, then G has a proper nontrivial normal subgroup.
(5) Let R be a commutative ring. Define the unit group of R.
Let F be a field and let R = F [X] be the ring of polynomials in one
variable with coefficients in F . Determine the unit group of R.
(6) Let R be a commutative ring. What does it mean for I ⊂ R to be
an ideal?
Let f : R → R0 be a ring homomorphism. Prove that if J is an ideal
of R0 then
f −1 (J) = {r ∈ R : f (r) ∈ J}
is an ideal of R. Show that if f is surjective then for any ideal I of
R,
f (I) = {f (r) ∈ R0 : r ∈ R}
is an ideal of R0 . Find an example to demonstrate that f (I) need not
be an ideal if f is not surjective.

1
2

Solutions
(1) The stabilizer of s ∈ S is the subgroup
Gs := {g ∈ G : g · s = s} .
Now if G is the group of motions in the plane and p is a point in the
plane, then
Gp = Gtp (0) = tp G0 t−1
p ,
where 0 is the origin and tp is the translation taking the origin to
p. Now the set of motions that stabilize the origin is O(2), so the
stabilizer of p is
tp O(2)t−1
p .

(2) A p-group G is a group of order pe where e ≥ 1. If G is a finite

p-group with conjugacy class C1 , . . . , Cn , then we may consider its
class equation
X n
|G| = |Ci |.
i=1
Recall that |Ci | = [G : Zi ] where Zi is the centralizer in G of any
element of Ci . It follows that |Ci | divides |G| = pe , and hence is a
power of p too.
Now the identity element forms its own conjugacy class, so in the
class equation, if every conjugacy class has size pr with r ≥ 1, we
have X
pe = 1 + (nontrivial powers of p),
which is impossible. Thus some conjugacy class has order 1, and
the element x of that conjugacy class must be in the center.

(3) G acts on itself by left multiplication: g · x = gx. Thus every

element of G defines a permutation of G, and we have a homomor-
phism
ρ : G → Sn
g 7→ (permutation defined by g).
ρ is injective since the only element of G which fixes elements under
left multiplication is the identity.
Moreover, there is a natural injective homomorphism
ϕ : Sn → GLn (F )
σ 7→ (permutation matrix associated to σ).
Composing φ ◦ ρ we obtain an injection G → GLn (F ); its image is
a subgroup of GLn (F ) isomorphic to G.
 3

(4) Let np (G) denote the number of Sylow p-subgroups, we have that
np (G) ≡ 1 mod p and np (G)|a.
Since 1 ≤ a < p, we have 1 ≤ np (G) < p, and so np (G) is 1.
Hence there is a unique Sylow p-subgroup and it is normal.
(5) The unit group of R is the group of elements of R which have mul-
tiplicative inverses:
R× = {a ∈ R : there is b ∈ R s.t. ab = 1} .
Now letting R = F [X] for some field F , we observe that if f, g ∈
F [X],
deg(f g) = deg(f ) + deg(g)
where deg of a polynomial is its degree. Thus if f is a unit with
inverse g, we must have deg(f ) + deg(g) = 0, and since degrees are
nonnegative, it follows that f and g are just constant polynomials.
Conversely, any nonzero constant polynomial is invertible since F
is a field. Hence
R× = F × = F − {0} .

(6) An ideal is a subset I ⊂ R which is a subgroup of (R, +) and

which is stable under multiplication by every element of R. Letting
f : R → R0 be a ring homomorphism and J an ideal of R0 , we see
that given x, y ∈ f −1 (J), f (x − y) = f (x) − f (y) ∈ J so x −
y ∈ f −1 (J), from which it’s immediate that f −1 (J) is a subgroup
of (R, +). Moreover, if r ∈ R and x ∈ f −1 (J), then f (rx) =
f (r)f (x) ∈ J, and so rx ∈ f −1 (J), so f −1 (J) is stable under
multiplication by R.
Similarly, given an ideal I of R, f (I) is an subgroup of R0 . If
moreover f is surjective, then for any r0 ∈ R0 , there is r ∈ R
with f (r) = r0 and so given x0 = f (x) ∈ f (I), we have r0 x0 =
f (r)f (x) = f (rx) ∈ f (I), thus showing that f (I) is an ideal. How-
ever, the assumption that f is surjective is essential; for example, if
f : Z → Q is the natural embedding, then 2Z is an ideal of Z but
not of Q.
Homework (required):

Read §10.6
Do exercises 10.6.2, 10.6.3, 10.6.4, 10.6.9
Read §§11.1, 11.2 for next lecture
Homework (required):

Do exercises 11.1.1, 11.1.4, 11.1.5, 11.2.2, 11.2.5, 11.2.11(a)

Read §§11.3, 11.4 for next lecture
Homework (required):

Do exercises 11.3.1, 11.3.4, 11.3.6, 11.4.1, 11.4.2, 11.4.4, 11.4.16

Read §§11.5, 11.6 for next lecture
Homework (required):

Do exercises 11.5.1, 11.5.2, 11.5.5, 11.6.1, 11.6.9

Read §11.7 for next lecture
Homework (required):

Do exercises 11.7.1, 11.7.4, 11.7.5

Read §§11.8, 11.9 for next lecture
Homework (required):

Do exercises 11.8.1, 11.8.3, 11.9.8, 11.9.10

Read §§11.10 for next lecture
Homework (required):

Do exercises 11.10.3, 11.10.6

No homework today.