Abstract Algebra - Fall 2024

Worksheet 9

Finitely generated abelian groups

Product group

Definition 1. Let S1 , S2 , ..., Sn be sets. The Cartesian product of Si ’s is defined as

n
Y
S1 × S2 × ... × Sn = Si = {(a1 , a2 , .., an )|ai ∈ Si }
i=1

Question 1. Let G1 , G2 , ..., Gn be Q groups with operations using multiplication symbol. For
a = (a1 , .., an ) and b = (b1 , ..., bn ) in ni=1 Gi , define a binary operation as

ab = (a1 b1 , a2 b2 , ..., an bn )
Qn
Show that i=1 Gi is a group under this operation. It will be called the direct product of
Gi ’s.

Solution

Identity element {e1 , e2 , ..., en }

Inverse element of a = a1 , a2 .., an }is (a−1 −1

1 , a2 , ...)

Associative

(ab)c = a(bc)

Remark 1. If Gi ’s are abelian we usually use the addition for binary operations. In this case
the direct product might be called the direct sum and denoted
n
M
Gi = G1 ⊕ G2 ⊕ ... ⊕ Gn
i=1

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The direct product (sum)’s order is the product of orders of element groups.
n
Y n
Y
Gi = |Gi |
i=1 i=1

Product of cyclic groups

Question 2. Find the order of (1, 1) in Z2 × Z3 . What can we conclude about the structure
of Z2 × Z3 ?

Order of 1 in Z2 × Z3 is 6. Z2 × Z3 is isomorphic with a cyclic group of order 6.

Question 3. Show that no element in Z2 × Z2 has order larger than 2. Conclude that Z2 × Z2
is isomorphic to the Klein 4 group.

(0, 1) has order 2. (1, 1) has order 2. (1, 0) has order 2. (0, 0) has order 1.

Take a mapping (0, 1) → a, (1, 1) → b , (1, 0) → c, (0, 0) → e.

This is a bijection and homomorphism. So Z2 × Z2 is isomorphic to Klein 4.

Question 4. Let m, n ∈ Z+ . Show that if (r, s) ∈ Zm × Zn then the order of (r, s) is at most
lcm(m, n).

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We have a, b is the order of r, s where (r)a = e, (s)b = e

Order of (r, s) is smallest number x such such (r, s)x = e or (r, s)lcm(a,b) = e.

Using Lagrange theorem, a|m, b|n, therefore lcm(a, b) ≤ lcm(m, n).

Question 5. Recall that mn = gcd(m, n)lcm(m, n). Show that Zm ×Zn is cyclic and isomorphic
to Zmn if and only if gcd(m, n) = 1.

Since Zm × Zn is cyclic, there exists an element a ∈ Zm × Zn such that Zm × Zn is isomorphic

to Zmn . There exists a ∈ Zm × Zn such that the order of a is mn. From the previous chapter,
we have:

mn
mn ≤ lcm(m, n) = .
gcd(m, n)

Therefore, gcd(m, n) = 1.

Now suppose gcd(m, n) = 1. We have:

mn = lcm(m, n).

Assume the order of (1, 1) is t. We have m | t and n | t, so the smallest t is:

t = lcm(m, n) = mn.

Therefore, ⟨(1, 1)⟩ = Zm × Zn , and Zm × Zn is isomorphic to Zmn .

Question 6. Show that if n = pr11 pr22 ...prkk where pi ’s are distinct primes, then

Zn ∼
= Zpr11 × Zpr22 × ... × Zprkk

Since lcm(pr11 , pr22 , . . . ) = 1, Q.E.D. by applying previous questions.

Question 7. Find the order of (8, 4, 10) in Z12 × Z60 × Z24 .

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 ⟨(8)⟩ = 3, ⟨(4)⟩ = 15, ⟨(10)⟩ = 12.

The order in Z12 × Z60 × Z24 is 60.

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Internal direct product

Let G = ni=1 Gi , then the elements of G have a form (g1 , g2 , ..., gn ). Let ei be the identity of
Q
Gi and define
G′i = {(e1 , .., ei−1 , gi , ei+1 , .., en )|gi ∈ Gi }.
Question 8. Verify that G′i is a subgroup of G and is isomorphic to Gi . Then we can think of
G as the direct product of its subgroups.

Consider two element a, b ∈ G′i , we have ab−1 ∈ G′i , so G′i is a subgroup of G.

Question 9. Suppose G be a finite abelian group and G1 , ..., Gn are subgroups of G that satisfy
the following conditions:

• Gi ∩ Gj1 Gj2 ...Gjk = {e} for all i ∈

/ {j1 , ..., jk }.
• G = G1 G2 ...Gn where G1 G2 ...Gn = {g1 g2 ...gn |gi ∈ Gi }.

Prove that ϕ : G → ni=1 Gi such that ϕ(g1 g2 ..gn ) = (g1 , g2 , ..., gn ) is an isomorphism. We say
Q
that G is the internal direct product of Gi ’s.

It is well-defined. Suppose there is a g ∈ G that can have two decompositions g1 g2 ...gn and
h1 h2 h3 ..hn . Therefore, gg −1 = (g1 h−1 −1 −1 −1 −1 −1 −1
1 )(g2 h2 )...(gn hn ) = e ⇒ g1 h1 = [(g2 h2 )...(gn hn )] .
Base on condition 1, g1 = h1 . Similarly, gi = hi for all 0 ≤ i ≤ n. Therefore, g has unique
decomposition.

One to one : suppose there are two similar composition ϕ(a) = ϕ(b), therefore, a = b since a
and b have the same product of all ai .

Onto: For each (x1 , x2 , ...xn ) ∈ ni=1 Gi , we can always define a x = x1 x2 ..xn where ϕ(x) =
Q
(x1 , x2 , ..., xn ). Hence, ϕ is surjective.

Homomorphism: ϕ(x)ϕ(y) = ϕ(xy) (substitute each number).

Therefore, ϕ is isomorphism.

Finite abelian groups

Given a finite abelian group G. We want to find the subgroups G1 , .., Gn so that G is the
(internal) direct product of them. Suppose |G| = pα1 1 ...pαnn where pi ’s are distinct primes. Let
Gi be the set of all elements of G whose order is a power of pi .

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Question 10. Show that Gi ≤ G for all i.
n m m n
Suppose there exists a, b−1 ∈ Gi . We have api = e and (b−1 )pi = e. Therefore, (ab−1 )min{pi ,pi } =
e. So order of ab is the factor of power of pi , which is a power of pi or ab−1 ∈ Gi . Or Gi a
subgroup of G.

Question 11. Show that Gi ∩ Gj1 Gj2 ...Gjk = {e} for all i ∈
/ {j1 , ..., jk }.

Suppose gi = gj1 gj2 gj3 · · · gjn . We have

α1 α2 α3
(gj1 gj2 gj3 · · · gjn )pj1 pj2 pj3 ··· = e,

where e is the identity element. Therefore, the order of gi is a factor of pαj11 pαj22 pαj33 · · ·. But order
of gi is pαi i . This equivalent happens only when αi = 0 or gi = e. So there exist no such gi ̸= e.

Question 12. Show that if g ∈ G then there exist gi ∈ Gi such that g = g1 g2 ...gn .

Show that there exist integers bi ’s such that a1 b1 + ... + an bn = 1 and g ai bi ∈ Gi .

Hint: Suppose |g| = p1r1 ...pnrn . Let ai = |g|/piri .

Suppose |g| = pr11 pr22 ...prnn

|g|
Let ai =
pri i

Using Bezout’s identity, there exists b1 , b2 , .., bn such that a1 b1 + .. + an bn = 1.

Or g = g a1 b1 g a2 b2 ...g an bn
r1
Since (g a1 b1 )p1 = g |g| = e. Therefore, order of g a1 b1 is the factor of pr11 or g a1 b1 ∈ Gi . Similarly,
g ai bi ∈ Gi .

To conclude, there exists gi ∈ Gi such that g = g1 g2 ...gn .

Remark 2. It is possible to prove that the Gi ’s are cyclic or direct product of cyclic groups,
but we need some more knowledge such as Cauchy theorem and factor group. In the meantime
we state without prove two versions of a general theorem which applies for finitely generated
abelian groups (which means the group can be infinite).

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Theorem 1 (Primary Factor version of Fundamental Theorem of Finitely Generated Abelian
Group). Every finitely generated abelian group G is isomorphic to a direct product of cyclic
groups in the form
Zpr11 × · · · × Zprnn × Z × · · · × Z
where pi ’s are primes (not necessarily distinct) and ri ’s are positive integers. The direct product
is unique except for possible rearrangement of the factors.

Question 13. Use Theorem 1 to find all possible abelian groups of order 360.

1. Z2 × Z2 × Z2 × Z3 × Z3 × Z5

2. Z2 × Z2 × Z2 × Z9 × Z5

3. Z2 × Z4 × Z3 × Z3 × Z5

4. Z2 × Z4 × Z9 × Z5

5. Z8 × Z3 × Z3 × Z5

Z8 × Z9 × Z5

Question 14. Let G be a finite abelian group. if m divides |G| then G has a subgroup of order
m.

Practice: 14, 16, 18, 20, 23, 36, 52

14. Fill in the blanks

1. The cyclic group of Z24 generated by 18 has order 4.

2. Z3 × Z4 has order 12.

3. (4, 2) of Z12 × Z18 has order 9.

4. Klein 4-group is isomorphic to Z2 × Z2 .

5. Z2 × Z × Z4 has 8 elements of finite order.

15. Find the maximum possible order for Z4 × Z6 .

The maximum possible order is 12.

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16. Are Z12 × Z2 and Z4 × Z6 isomorphic?

Yes.

18. Are Z8 × Z10 × Z24 and Z4 × Z12 × Z40 isomorphic? Why or why not?

• Z8 × Z10 × Z24 has order 240.

• Z4 × Z12 × Z40 has order 120.

• Since the orders are different, the groups are not isomorphic.

20. Are Z4 × Z18 × Z15 and Z3 × Z36 × Z10 isomorphic? Why or why not?

Z4 × Z18 × Z15 ∼
= Z4 × Z9 × Z5 ,
Z3 × Z36 × Z10 ∼
= Z3 × Z9 × Z10 .

Since the invariant factors differ, the groups are not isomorphic.

36. True or False

1. Every abelian group of prime order is cyclic: True.

2. Every abelian group of prime power order is cyclic: False.

3. Z8 is generated by {4, 6}: False.

4. Z8 is generated by {4, 5, 6}: True.

5. All finite abelian groups are classified up to isomorphism by Theorem 9.12: True.

6. Every finite abelian group has Betti number 0: True.

52. Show that a finite abelian group is not cyclic if and only if it contains a
subgroup isomorphic to Zp × Zp .

⇒ Suppose G is a finite abelian group that is not cyclic.

By the Primary Factor Version of the Fundamental Theorem of Finitely Generated Abelian
Groups:
G∼= Zpr11 × Zpr22 × · · · .

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 To make G cyclic, at least one prime p must have r ≥ 2 in its primary factor decomposition.
If all pi are distinct (i.e., ri = 1), G would be cyclic. Therefore, there exists H = Zpr1 × Zpr2 ,
and we have Zp × Zp ≤ H. Thus, G contains a subgroup isomorphic to Zp × Zp .

⇐ If G contains a subgroup isomorphic to Zp × Zp :

For any generator a in Zp × Zp , we have |⟨a⟩| = p2 . Since Zp × Zp is not cyclic, G cannot be

cyclic because every subgroup of a cyclic group is also cyclic.