Group - definition, examples, and

properties
Binary Operation On A Set
Let G be a non empty set.
Then GXG={(a, b): aG, bG}. If f: GXG---G, then f is said to be a binary operation on the
set G.
For example:
+, will be binary operations on a set i.e. + will be binary operation on G if a+bG , for all a,
bG.
There are two binary operation:
(i) Internal binary Operation:
Let G be a non-empty set, if a, b  G implies a + b  G and a + b is unique, then + is
called internal binary operation on G.
(ii) External binary Operation:
Let V and G be two non-empty sets, if a G and vV then a* vG is unique, then *
is called an external binary operation on G.
For example: Addition is a binary on N, whereas subtraction is not a binary operation on N.
Algebraic Structure
A non empty set S equipped with one or more binary operations is called algebraic structure.
For example:
(N, +) and (R, +) are algebraic structures.
Groupoid or Quasi Group:
A non-empty set G together with a binary operation * is called a quasi group or groupoid i.e. satisfied
closed property.
For example:
If N is the set of all natural number then
(N, +) is groupoid, because 3+5=8 N.
i.e. N is closed with respect to binary operation addition.
Semi-group:
An algebraic structure (G, *) is called semi-group if binary operation * satisfies the following laws:
(i) Closure law: a, b  G implies a * b  G , for all a, b  G.
(ii) Associative law: a * (b * c) = (a * b) * c , for all a, b , c G.
For example: (I, +) and (I, .) are semi-group.
Monoid
An algebraic structure (G, *) is called monoid, if binary operation ⁕ satisfies
the following laws:
(i) Closure law: a, b  G implies a *b  G , for all a, b  G.
(ii) Associative law: a * (b * c) = (a * b) * c , for all a, b , c G.
(iii) Existence of identity element: There exist an element eG, such that
(iv) a * e=a= e *a, for all a G.
For example:
(N, .) is a monoid, because the identity of N is 1N.
Group
Let G be a non empty set and * is any binary operation then a algebraic
structure (G, *) is called group, if it satisfies the following properties:
(i) Closure: If a, b  G * a * b  G.
(ii) Associative: For any a, b, c  G , then
(a * b ) * c= a * (b * c)
(iii) Existence of identity: For any a  G, then there exists an element e  G
such that a * e= a = e * a
(iv) Existence of inverse: For any a  G, then there exists an element a-
1
 G such that a * a-1 = e = a-1 *a.
For examples: (Z, +), (Q, +), (R, +) are all groups. 0 is the identity and –a is
the inverse element of a in every case.
Abelian Group or Commutative Group:
A group G is said to be abelian or commutative group. If commutative law is also satisfied
i.e.,
Commutative law: a ⁕ b = b ⁕ a, Ɐ a, b G.
For example:
(I, +) is abelian group, where I is the set of integers.
Remark: An abelian group under addition is called a module.
Finite and infinite Groups:
A group (G, ⁕) is called a finite or infinite group according as the number of element of G
in finite or infinite.
For examples:
(i) Cubic roots of unity i.e. G={1, , ²}.
Then (G, .) is finite group.
(ii) (I, +) is infinite group.
Order of a Group:
The number of elements in a group (G, ⁕) is defined as the order of the
group and is denoted by O(G). An infinite groups is said to be infinite
order.
For examples:
Let G={1, , ²}.
Then (G, ⁕) is a group and O(G)=3.
Examples:
Example .1: Prove that the set of all positive rational numbers forms a group
under the composition defined by ab
a b  .
2
Solution:
Let Q⁺ denote the set of all positive national number.
Let a, b, c Q⁺. We define an operation ⁕ on Q⁺ as follows:
ab
a b  .
2
We have to show that (Q⁺, ⁕) is a group.
Closure law: Let a, b Q⁺. We have
For
ab
a b   Q .
2
Associative law: We have
ab  ab  c abc a  bc  bc
( a  b)  c   c       a 
2  2 2 4 2 2  2
a  (b  c ).

Existence of identity element:

ae e will be identity for Q⁺, such that
.
a  e a  a  a (e  2) 0  e  2 0  a  0 .
2
” e=2.
Thus,  identity element e=2 Q⁺.
Existence of inverse 
element: if  the
is a inverse of a, 4
 a e  2    then . we
 must
a 0 have

2 a

Thus inverse of every element a is 4/a  Q⁺.

Hence (Q⁺, ⁕ ) is a group. ab ba
a b   b  a.
Remark: In the above example, since 2 2
Hence (Q⁺, ⁕ ) is an abelian group.
Example .2: Show that the set G={1, w, w²} is a group w.r.t. ordinary
multiplication, w being an imaginary cube root of unity.
Or
Show that the three cube roots of unity form a group w.r.t. multiplication.
Solution: Cube roots of unity are obtained by solving the equation
Example .3: Prove that G={1, -1, i, -i} is an abelian group with respect to
multiplication.
Or
Prove that fourth roots of unity form an abelian multiplicative group.
Solution: Let G={1, -1, i, -i}.
We have to show that (G, .) is an abelian group.
Example .4: Show that the set G={1, 2, 3, 4, 5} is not a group under addition modulo 6.
Solution: Let G={1,2, 3, 4, 5}.
The composition table as follows
+₆ 1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5 0
2 3 4 5 0 1
3 4 5 0 1 2
4 5 0 1 2 3
5 0 1 2 3 4

Closure law: All entries of composite table do not belong to G i.e. 0G. Hence G is not
closed under +₆ .
Therefore, (G, +₆ ) is not group.
Example .5: Prove that the set G={0, 1, 2, 3, 4} is a finite abelian group under addition modulo 5.
Solution: Let G={0, 1,2, 3, 4}.
The composition table as follows

+₅ 0 1 2 3 4

0 0 1 2 3 4
1 1 2 3 4 0
2 2 3 4 0 1
3 3 4 0 1 2
4 4 0 1 2 3

Closure law: All entries of composite table are elements of G and hence G is closed under +₅ .
Associative law: (0+1)+2=3; 0+(1+2)=3.
(0+1)+2= 0+(1+2).
Therefore, G is associative
Existence of identity: We have, 0G is the identity of G,
i.e. 0+a=a Ɐ aG.
Existence of inverse element: The inverse of 0 is itself. If r (0)G,
corresponding to the element, there exists an element (5-r)G such that
(5-r)+₅ r=0=r+ ₅ (5-r).
Therefore (5-r) is the inverse of r with respect to the given composition.
0, 1, 2 , 3, 4 (elements) 0, 4, 3, 2, 1 (inverse elements)
Commutativity: 1+2=3 and 2+1=3
Hence 1+2=2+1
In general, a+b=b+a
Thus (G, +₅) is an abelian group .
 Exercise
Q .1: Prove that the set G={0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5} is abelian group under the addition modulo 6.
Q .2: Show that the set of integers {1, 5, 7, 11} is a group under multiplication modulo 12.
Relevant Books
• Textbooks
⮚ C.L. Liu “Elements of Discrete Mathematics". McGraw Hill, 3rd Edition.
⮚ Santha,"Discrete Mathematics with Graph Theory, Cengage Learning, 1st
Edition.
• Reference Books
⮚ B. Kolaman, and R.C. Busby, “Discrete Mathematical Structures”, PHI, 1st
Edition.
⮚ Gersting, L. Judith “Mathematical Structures for computer Science”,
Computer Science Press.
• Links for e-book:
⮚ http://discrete.openmathbooks.org/pdfs/dmoi-tablet.pdf
References

• Other Resources:
⮚ https://www.csm.ornl.gov/~sheldon/ds/sec4.5.html
⮚ https://math24.net/binary-relations.html
⮚ https://www.toppr.com/guides/maths/relations-and-functions/types-of-relations/
Link of e-book
https://www.science4all.org/article/duality-in-linear-programming/
http://discrete.openmathbooks.org/pdfs/dmoi-tablet.pdf
weblinks :
https://www.javatpoint.com/algebra-of-sets
• https://www.javatpoint.com/principle-of-duality-in-discrete-mathematics
• PPT - Discrete Mathematics SETS PowerPoint Presentation, free download - ID:4004039 (slideserve.com)
• PPT - Discrete Mathematics: Set Operations and Identities PowerPoint Presentation - ID:5559797 (slideserv
e.com)
• VEDIOLINK:
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGLTV8MgLlA&list=PLU6SqdYcYsfJ27O0dvuMwafS3X8CecqUg
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW42KXPaw_A&list=PLmXKhU9FNesRORH5XXsErmamVvUT_zbG4