School of Mathematical and Prof.

Pablo Rosero
Computational Sciences & Christian Chávez
Abstract Algebra
Problem Set 2
Group Theory

Groups, Subgroups and Homomorphisms

(Lessons 3, 4 and 5)

1. Determine which of the following binary operations are associative.

(a) the operation ⋆ on Z defined by a ⋆ b = a − b

(b) the operation ⋆ on R defined by a ⋆ b = a + b + ab

a+b
(c) the operation ⋆ on Q defined by a ⋆ b =
5
(d) the operation ⋆ on Z × Z defined by ( a, b) ⋆ (c, d) = ( ad + bc, bd)
a
(e) the operation ⋆ on Q\ {0} defined by a ⋆ b =
b
2. Determine which of the following sets are groups under addition:

(a) the set of rational numbers (including 0 = 0/1) in lowest terms

whose denominators are odd

(b) the set of rational numbers (including 0 = 0/1) in lowest terms

whose denominators are even

(c) the set of rational numbers of absolute value < 1

(d) the set of rational numbers of absolute value ≥ 1 together with 0

(e) the set of rational numbers with denominators equal to 1 or 2

(f) the set of rational numbers with denominators equal to 1, 2 or 3

3. Let G = {z ∈ C | zn = 1 for some n ∈ Z+ }.

(a) Prove that G is a group under multiplication (called the group of

roots of unity in C).

(b) Prove that G is not a group under addition.

√
4. Let G = { a + b 2 ∈ R | a, b ∈ Q}.

(a) Prove that G is a group under addition.

(b) Prove that the nonzero elements of G are a group under multiplica-
tion. (“Rationalize the denominators” to find multiplicative inverses.)

5. (i) Find the orders of each element of the additive group Z/12Z.

(ii) Find the orders of the following elements of the multiplicative group
(Z/12Z)× :
1, −1, 5, 7, −7, 13.

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 (iii) Find the orders of the following elements of the additive group
Z/36Z:
1, 2, 6, 9, 10, 12, −1, −10, −18.

6. Let x be an element of G. Prove that

(i) x2 = 1 if and only if | x | is either 1 or 2.

(ii) if | x | = n for some positive integer n then x −1 = x n−1 .

(iii) x and x −1 have the same order.

7. Let x and y be elements of G. Prove that xy = yx if and only if y−1 xy = x

if and only if x −1 y−1 xy = 1.

8. Let x ∈ G and let a, b ∈ Z+ .

(a) Prove that x a+b = x a x b and ( x a )b = x ab .

(b) Prove that ( x a )−1 = x −a .

(c) Establish part (a) for arbitrary integers a and b (positive, negative or
zero).

9. If x and g are elements of the group G, prove that | x | = g−1 xg . Deduce

that | ab| = |ba| for all a, b ∈ G.

10. Prove that if x2 = 1 for all x ∈ G, then G is abelian.

11. Assume H is a nonempty subset of ( G, ⋆) which is closed under the binary

operation on G and is closed under inverses, i.e., for all h and k elements
of H it holds hk, h−1 ∈ H. Prove that H is a group under the operation ⋆
restricted to H (such a subset H is called a subgroup of G ).

12. Prove that if x is an element of the group G then { x n | n ∈ Z} is a subgroup

(cf. the preceding exercise) of G (called the cyclic subgroup of G generated
by x).

13. Compute the order of each of the elements in (a) D6 , (b) D8 , and (c) D10 .

14. Let σ be the permutation

1 7→ 3 2 7→ 4 3 7→ 5 4 7→ 2 5 7→ 1

and let τ be the permutation

1 7→ 5 2 7→ 3 3 7→ 2 4 7→ 4 5 7→ 1.

Find the cycle decompositions of each of the following permutations:

σ, τ, σ2 , στ, τσ, and τ 2 σ.

15. Find the order of (1 12 8 10 4)(2 13)(5 11 7)(6 9).

16. Prove that if σ is the m-cycle ( a1 a2 . . . am ), then for all i ∈ {1, 2, . . . , m}, it
holds σi ( ak ) = ak+i , where k + i is replaced by its least residue mod m
when k + i > m. Deduce that |σ| = m.

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17. Let σ be the m-cycle (1 2 3 · · · m). Show that σi is also an m-cycle if and
only if i is relatively prime to m.

18. Let p be a prime. Show that an element has order p in Sn if and only if
its cycle decomposition is a product of commuting p-cycles. Show by an
explicit example that this need not be the case if p is not prime.

19. Prove that the order of an element in Sn equals the least common multiple
of the lengths of the cycles in its cycle decomposition. (Hint: use problem
16.)

20. Write out all the elements of GL2 ( F2 ) and compute the order of each
element.

21. Show that GL2 ( F2 ) is non-abelian.

22. Show that if n is not prime then Z/nZ is not a field.

23. Let F be a field.

(i) Show that GLn ( F ) is a finite group if and only if F has a finite number
of elements.
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(ii) If | F | = q is finite prove that | GLn ( F )| < qn .

24. Show that GLn ( F ) is non-abelian for any n ≥ 2 and any F.

25. Let G and H be groups. Let φ : G → H be a homomorphism.

(a) Prove that φ ( x n ) = φ( x )n for all n ∈ Z+ .

(b) Do part (a) for n = −1 and deduce that φ ( x n ) = φ( x )n for all n ∈ Z.

26. Let G and H be groups. If φ : G → H is an isomorphism, prove that

| φ( x )| = | x | for all x ∈ G. Deduce that any two isomorphic groups have
the same number of elements of order n for each n ∈ Z+ . Is the result true
if φ is only assumed to be a homomorphism?

27. Let G and H be groups. If φ : G → H is an isomorphism, prove that G

is abelian if and only if H is abelian. If φ : G → H is a homomorphism,
what additional conditions on φ (if any) are sufficient to ensure that if G is
abelian, then so is H?

28. Prove that D24 and S4 are not isomorphic.

29. Let A and B be groups. Prove that A × B ∼

= B × A.
30. Let G and H be groups and let φ : G → H be a homomorphism. Prove
that the image of φ is a subgroup of H. Prove that, if φ is injective, then
G∼= φ ( G ).
31. Let G and H be groups and let φ : G → H be a homomorphism. Define
the kernel of φ to be ker φ = { g ∈ G | φ( g) = 1 H } (so the kernel is is the
fiber over the identity of H). Prove that the kernel of φ is a subgroup of
G. Prove that φ is injective if and only if the kernel of φ is the identity
subgroup of G.

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32. Define a map π1 : R2 → R by π1 (( x, y)) = x. Prove that π1 is a homo-
morphism and find the kernel of π1 .

33. Let G be any group. Prove that

(i) the map from G to itself defined by g 7→ g−1 is a homomorphism if

and only if G is abelian, and

(ii) the map from G to itself defined by g 7→ g2 is a homomorphism if

and only if G is abelian.

34. Let G = {z ∈ C | zn = 1 for some n ∈ Z+ }. Prove that for any fixed

integer k > 1 the map from G to itself defined by z 7→ zk is a surjective
homomorphism but is not an isomorphism.

35. Let G be a group and let Aut( G ) be the set of all isomorphisms from
G onto G. Prove that Aut( G ) is a group under function composition
(called the automorphism group of G and the elements of Aut( G ) are called
automorphisms of G).

36. In each of (a) – (e) below prove that the specified subset is not a subgroup
of the given group:

(a) the set of 2-cycles in Sn for n ≥ 3,

(b) the set of reflections in D2n for n ≥ 3,

(c) for n a composite integer > 1 and G a group containing an element

of order n, the set { x ∈ G : | x | = n} ∪ {1},

(d) the set of (positive and negative) odd integers in Z together with 0,
and

(e) the set of real numbers whose square is a rational number (under
addition).

37. Show that the following subsets of the dihedral group D8 are actually
subgroups: (a) 1, r2 , s, sr2 , (b) 1, r2 , sr, sr3 .
 

38. Give an explicit example of a group G and an infinite subset H of G that is

closed under the group operation but is not a subgroup of G.

39. Prove that G cannot have a subgroup H with | H | = n − 1, where n =

| G | > 2.
40. Let G be an abelian group. Prove that { g ∈ G : | g| < ∞} is a subgroup of
G (called the torsion subgroup of G ). Give an explicit example where this
set is not a subgroup when G is non-abelian.

41. Fix some n ∈ Z with n > 1. Find the torsion subgroup (cf. the previous
exercise) of Z × (Z/nZ). Show that the set of elements of infinite order
together with the identity is not a subgroup of this direct product.

42. Let H and K be subgroups of G. Prove that H ∪ K is a subgroup if and

only if either H ⊆ K or K ⊆ H.

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43. Let G = GLn ( F ), where F is any field. Define

SLn ( F ) = { A ∈ GLn ( F ) | det( A) = 1}

(called the special linear group over F). Prove that SLn ( F ) ≤ GLn ( F ).

44. (a) Prove that if H and K are subgroups of G then so is their intersection
H ∩ K.

(b) Prove that the intersection of an arbitrary nonempty collection of

subgroups of G is again a subgroup of G (do not assume the collection
is countable).

45. Let A and B be groups. Prove that the following sets are subgroups of the
direct product A × B:

(a) {( a, 1) | a ∈ A},

(b) {(1, b) | b ∈ B}, and

(c) {( a, a) | a ∈ A}, where we asume A = B.

46. Let H1 ≤ H2 ≤ · · · be an ascending chain of subgroups of G. Prove that

∪i∞=1 Hi is a subgroup of G.
47. Let n ∈ Z+ and let F be a field. Prove that the set aij ∈ GLn ( F ) | aij = 0


for all i > j} is a subgroup of GLn ( F ) (called the group of upper triangular
marices).

48. Let G be a group.

(i) Prove that CG ( A) = g ∈ G | g−1 ag = a for all a ∈ A}.



(ii) Prove that CG ( Z ( G )) = G and deduce that NG ( Z ( G )) = G.

(iii) Prove that Z ( G ) ≤ NG ( A) for any subset A of G.

49. In each of parts (a) to (c) show that for the specified group G and subgroup
A of G, CG ( A) = A and NG ( A) = G.

(a) G = S3 and A = {1, (123), (132)}

(b) G = D8 and A = 1, s, r2 , sr2



(c) G = D10 and A = 1, r, r2 , r3 , r4



50. Let H be a subgroup of the group G.

(a) Show that H ≤ NG ( H ). Give an example to show that this is not

necessarily true if H is not a subgroup.

(b) Show that H ≤ CG ( H ) if and only if H is abelian.