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Math4302Modern Algebra (Lecture 6)

Math4302 Modern Algebra (Lecture 6)

Subgroups

Dihedral group

The dihedral group DnD_n is the group of all rotations and reflections about the center of the regular polygon of nn sides.

∣Sn∣=n!,∣Dn∣=2n|S_n|=n!, |D_n|=2n

Cyclic group

G=⟨a⟩={1,a,a2,⋯ }G=\langle a\rangle=\{1,a,a^2,\cdots\} for some a∈Ga\in G

Example of cyclic group

(Zn,+)(\mathbb{Z}_n,+) is cyclic and Zn=⟨1⟩={0,1,2,⋯ ,n−1}\mathbb{Z}_n=\langle 1\rangle=\{0,1,2,\cdots,n-1\}


(Z,+)(\mathbb{Z},+) is cyclic and Z=⟨1⟩=⟨−1⟩\mathbb{Z}=\langle 1\rangle=\langle -1 \rangle


S3S_3 is not cyclic

⟨e⟩={e}\langle e\rangle=\{e\} ⟨(1,2)⟩={e,(1,2)}\langle (1,2)\rangle=\{e,(1,2)\} ⟨(1,3)⟩={e,(1,3)}\langle (1,3)\rangle=\{e,(1,3)\} ⟨(2,3)⟩={e,(2,3)}\langle (2,3)\rangle=\{e,(2,3)\} ⟨(1,2,3)⟩={e,(1,2,3),(1,3,2)}\langle (1,2,3)\rangle=\{e,(1,2,3),(1,3,2)\} ⟨(1,3,2)⟩={e,(1,3,2),(1,2,3)}\langle (1,3,2)\rangle=\{e,(1,3,2),(1,2,3)\}

Every cyclic group is abelian

Every cyclic group is abelian

Proof

Let G=⟨a⟩G=\langle a\rangle be a cyclic group, then ∀g1,g2∈G\forall g_1,g_2\in G we have g1g2=g2g1g_1g_2=g_2g_1 since g1g2=a1ka2k=ak1+k2g_1g_2=a^k_1a^k_2=a^{k_1+k_2} and g2g1=a2ka1k=ak1+k2g_2g_1=a^k_2a^k_1=a^{k_1+k_2}

Definition for order of element

Let GG be a group, then the order of g∈Gg\in G is defined to be the size of the smallest subgroup containing gg.

If ∣⟨g⟩∣|\langle g\rangle| is infinite, then we say that gg has infinite order.

Example of order of element

55 in (Z,+)(\mathbb{Z},+) has infinite order.


55 in (Z10,+)(\mathbb{Z}_{10},+) has order 22.

⟨5⟩={0,5}\langle 5\rangle=\{0,5\}.


55 in (Z6,+)(\mathbb{Z}_{6},+) has order 66.

⟨5⟩={0,5,4,3,2,1}\langle 5\rangle=\{0,5,4,3,2,1\}.

Lemma for order of element

Let GG be a group, then a∈Ga\in G has order nn if nn is the smallest positive integer such that an=ea^n=e.

Proof

There are 2 cases:

Case 1:

There is no positive nn such that an=ea^n=e.

Then ai≠aja^i\neq a^j if i≠j,i,j∈Ni\neq j, i,j\in \mathbb{N}.

Reason: if ai=aja^i=a^j, then ai−j=ea^{i-j}=e.

Then the order of group is infinite.

Case 2:

There is a positive nn such that an=ea^n=e.

Let nn be the smallest such positive integer. Then we claim ⟨an⟩={e,a1,a2,⋯ ,an−1}\langle a^n\rangle=\{e,a^1,a^2,\cdots,a^{n-1}\}.

We claim they are all distinct.

Suppose not, then we can have ai=aja^i=a^j for i≠ji\neq j, 0≤i,j≤n−10\leq i,j\leq n-1.

Then ai−j=ea^{i-j}=e but i−j≤n−1i-j\leq n-1. Therefore nn is not the smallest positive integer such that an=ea^n=e.

Theorem for cyclic group up to isomorphism

Suppose GG is a cyclic group,

  • If ∣G∣=n|G|=n, then ∣G∣≃Zn+|G|\simeq \mathbb{Z}_n^+
  • If ∣G∣=∞|G|=\infty, then ∣G∣≃Z|G|\simeq \mathbb{Z}.

Proof

Case 1:

If ∣G∣=∞|G|=\infty, then we can map GG to (Z,+)(\mathbb{Z},+), where G=⟨a⟩G=\langle a\rangle. ϕ(n)=an\phi(n)=a^n. This gives a bijection between GG and (Z,+)(\mathbb{Z},+).

where ϕ(n+m)=an+m=anam=ϕ(n)ϕ(m)\phi(n+m)=a^{n+m}=a^n a^m=\phi(n)\phi(m).

Case 2:

If ∣G∣=n|G|=n, then we can map GG to (Zn,+)(\mathbb{Z}_n,+), where G=⟨a⟩G=\langle a\rangle. ϕ(n)=an\phi(n)=a^n. This gives a bijection between GG and (Zn,+)(\mathbb{Z}_n,+).

where ϕ(n+m)=ϕ(r)=an+m=anam=ϕ(n)ϕ(m)\phi(n+m)=\phi(r)=a^{n+m}=a^n a^m=\phi(n)\phi(m).

Example

Let H=⟨(12)(345)⟩⊆S5H=\langle (12)(345)\rangle\subseteq S_5. Then H≃Z6+H\simeq \mathbb{Z}_6^+.

Let τ=(12)(345)\tau=(12)(345)

All the elements of HH are:

  • τ0=(12)(345)\tau^0=(12)(345)
  • τ1=(453)\tau^1=(453)
  • τ2=(12)(534)\tau^2=(12)(534)
  • τ3=(345)\tau^3=(345)
  • τ4=(12)(453)\tau^4=(12)(453)
  • τ5=(534)\tau^5=(534)

GCD and order

If G=⟨a⟩G=\langle a\rangle, then H=⟨ak⟩H=\langle a^k\rangle, ∣H∣=nd|H|=\frac{n}{d} where d=gcd⁡(n,k)d=\operatorname{gcd}(n,k).

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