MATH 3175 Group Theory Exam 1 Spring 2013 - Prof.

Iarrobino
Name.
Problems #1-4 will each count twenty points. The best 1 of # 5-6 will count twenty points. A
second may count up to 10 pts extra credit. Show your work/reasoning to get full possible credit.
EC denotes extra credit. Good luck!
1. Let G = S7 , the permutations of the set T = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7}
(a) Let g = (1, 2, 4) (2, 3, 6) (4, 6, 7, 2).
Determine the disjoint cycle decomposition of g and its order. Decide whether g is in
the alternating group A7 .

(b) Let h = (1, 2, 5) (3, 4, 6, 7). Which powers of h generate the subgroup hhi? Also, list
the subgroups of hhi and give a generator for each subgroup.

(c) The symmetric group S7 act on the set S = {S7 } by conjugation: for g S7 , w
{S7 }, g (w) = g w g 1 . Let h = (1, 2) (3, 4) (5, 6, 7) S.

i. Define Orbit(w). Explain a quick way to find ghg 1 . Describe the elements of
Orbit(h) in a way dierent from the definition of orbit

ii. Determine the cardinality #Orbit(h) and the order |StabG (H)|, and verify that their
product is |S7 |.

iii.

(2pts EC) Determine the stabilizer H = StabG (h) S7 of h in this action. That
is, describe the group elements in H.

MATH 3175 Group Theory Exam 1 Spring 2013 - Prof. Iarrobino

2. (a) Let H be a subgroup of G, and g G. Prove that the map of sets : (h) = g h is a
1-1 onto map from H to the left coset gH = {gh | h H}.

(b) Consider the group G = D6 of symmetries of the regular hexagon whose vertices are
labelled A, B, C, D, E, F counterclockwise. Consider the subgroup H = hi generated
by = (ABCDEF ).
i. List the left cosets of H in D6 .

ii. Determine whether H is normal in D6 , using two dierent criteria.

(c) Consider the subgroup W = hfAD i D6 , where fAD = (CE)(BF ). Determine all
conjugate subgroups gW g 1 of W in D6 . Explain your answer and why it is correct.

MATH 3175 Group Theory Exam 1 Spring 2013 - Prof. Iarrobino

3. Consider the map: : Z48 Z12 : (a) = 3a mod 12.
(a) Why is a homomorphism of groups? (Why is it well-defined? Why is it a homomophism?)

(b) Determine the kernel K Z48 of , and also the image (Z48 ) Z12 . The image is
isomorphic to what cyclic group?

(c) List the left cosets of K in Z48 .

(d) Give the isomorphism from Z48 /K to the image Im() = (Z48 ).

(e) (EC 2 pts) Determine how many homomorphisms : Z48 to Z12 have the same kernel
and image as . Explain.

MATH 3175 Group Theory Exam 1 Spring 2013 - Prof. Iarrobino

4. Let : G W be a group homomorphism.
(a) Prove that the kernel K = 1 (eW ) is a normal subgroup of G. Here eW is the identity
element of W . You must show that
i. K is a subgroup of G.

ii. gKg 1 = K (as set) for all g G.

(b) Assume that G = Zn , = {b, b2 , . . . , bn = e} is a cyclic group, and that : G W is a

group homomorphism with kernel K.
i. Prove that (G) is cyclic, by exhibiting a generator.

ii. Prove, or disprove with a counterexample: W must be cyclic.

iii. Use the well ordering principle to prove that the kernel K is cyclic. This essentially
asks you to show that a subgroup of a cyclic group is cyclic, from WOP.

MATH 3175 Group Theory Exam 1 Spring 2013 - Prof. Iarrobino

5. Recall that the group G = D8 is the group of symmetries of the regular octagon X with
vertices A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H (in cyclic order). Let D8 act on the set S = {ACEG, BDF H}
of two inscribed squares of X. Let = (ABCDEF GH) and = fDH = (AG)(BF )(CE).
(a) Determine the stabilizer K = StabG (ACEG) D8 of ACEG and relate K to a suitable
subgroup D4 of D8 . Determine the orbit of ACEG in S. Verify the formula relating the
order of K, the cardinality of the orbit and |D8 |.

(b) Write the stabilizer StabG (BDF H) as a conjugate of K. Also, determine whether K is
a normal subgroup of D8 . Explain your answer.
( 1pt EC): Also, what is the action of the left coset K on the element ACEG of S?

(c) Now let D8 act on the set Diag = {AE, BF , CG, DH} of four diagonals of X. What is
the stabilizer W of AE? What is the orbit of AE? Is the stabilizer W normal in D8 ?
Why or why not?

(d)

(EC 4pts) Consider the action of D8 by conjugation on the set T of 9 subgroups of D8

having order two. Identify the nine subgroups. What are the orbits in S of this action?

MATH 3175 Group Theory Exam 1 Spring 2013 - Prof. Iarrobino

6. Hodgepodge (best 4 of 5 parts)
(a) Determine whether the following are groups: why or why not? If not, explain if possible
an easy fix (change of the set, keep the operation) that will make it a group.
i. The set of integers, positive, zero, or negative, with a b = a b (operation subtraction).
ii. The set of rational numbers (define this), with operation multiplication.
iii. The set of 2 2 matrices with entries non-zero elements of the reals. Operation:
matrix multiplication.

(b) Show that the following groups are non-isomorphic, by giving a distinctive structural
property of each. They each have 12 elements.
i. D6
ii. A4 the alternating group.
iii. Z12
iv. U (36)
(c) Suppose that the order of a cyclic group G is a multiple of 15. Determine the number of
solutions in G of x5 = e.

(d) Determine the number of subgroups of S6 having each of the following properties
i. order 5.
ii. cyclic of order 4

(e) An element g of S9 satisfies g 4 = (3456789). Determine the possible g.