MAT 444 H.

Barcelo Spring 2004

Homework 5 Solutions
Section 5.6 Question: 2. Let G be a group, and let H be the cyclic subgroup generated by an element x of G. Show that if left multiplication by x fixes every coset of H in G, then H is a normal subgroup. Answer: Assume that left multiplication by x fixes every coset of H in G, where H = x . Thus a G x(aH ) = aH (a 1 xa ) H = H a 1 xa H a G . It remains to show that a 1 x n a H x n H . But a 1 x n a = (a 1 xa) n H , since H is a group.

Question: 7. A map S S of G-sets is called a homomorphism of G-sets if ( gs ) = g ( s ) for all s S and g G . Let be such a homomorphism. Prove the following: a) The stabilizer G ( s ) contains the stabilizer Gs. Answer: Let : S S be a homomorphism of G-sets a) if g Gs then gs = s . But g ( s ) = ( gs ) = ( s ) g G ( s ) . Hence Gs G ( gs ) . Question: b) The orbit of an element s S maps onto the orbit of ( s ) . Answer: b) if a O ( s ) , then a = g ( s) for some g G . But then a = g ( s ) = ( gs ) b s such

that b = gs Os and (b) = a . Next, Os = {gs g G} ; but for any gs Os ( gs ) = g ( s ) O ( s ) (Os ) O ( s ) .

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Section 5.7 Question: 5. Let G H K be groups. Prove the formula [G : K ] = [G : H ][ H : K ] without the assumption that G is finite. Answer: Let K H G (where means subgroup). Let I be an index set for the set of left cosets of H in G, i.e. | I | = [G : H ] and let J be an index set for the set of left cosets of K in H, i.e.: | J | = [ H : K ] . Since H G and K H , we have that G = gi H and H = hi K
iI

jJ

G =

iI

g
i

h j K = gi (h j K ) = iJ (i , j ) I J

(i , j ) I J

( gi hi ) K .

It remains to show that ( gi h j ) K ( gt hs ) K = for i , t I , j , s J and

i t or j s . But gi H gt H = i t gi (h j K ) gt (hs K ) = . Likewise, since h j K hs K = gi (h j K ) gi (hs K ) = j s . Thus,

[G : K ] = I J = [G : H ][ H : K ] .

Question: 6. a) Prove that if H and K are subgroups of finite index of a group G, then the intersection H K is also of finite index. Answer: a) Since H H and K G we have that H K H . Thus, we can use the result of the previous exercise with H K H G to obtain [G : H K ] = [G : H ][ H : H K ] Proposition 7.5 give us that [ H : H K ] [G : K ] . Thus since both [G : K ] and [G : H ] are finite so is [G : H K ] Question: b) Show by example that the index [ H : H K ] need not divide [G : K ] . Answer: b.) Consider G = S3 with H = {1, xy} , K = {1, x 2 y} .

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Section 5.8 Question: 4. Suppose that there are two orbits for the operation of a group G on a set S, and that they have orders m, n respectively. Use the operation to define a homomorphism from G to the product S m Sn of symmetric groups. Answer:

Let S = Os1 Os2 be the union of its 2 disjoint orbits Os1 and Os2 under the action of g. In particular, this means that for all g G, g s Os1 iff s Os1 and gs Os2 iff s Os2 . Since G acts on S then g G mg : S S defined by mg ( s ) = gs is a permutation of S which preserve the partition of S = Os1 Os2 . Let Os1 = m and Os2 = n , and let
m : Os1 Os1 be the restriction of mg to Os1 , and m : Os2 Os2 its restriction on Os2 . g g Define : G Sm Sn by ( g ) = (m , m ) . We must show that ( g ) = ( g ) (h) g , h G , i.e.: g g ( gh) = (m , m ) = (m , m ) (mh , mh ) . gh gh g g But by proposition 8.2 m = m mh and m = m mh , and since gh g gh g (a, b) (c, d ) = (ac , bd ) (a, b) (c, d ) Sm Sn we have that is a homomorphism.
Question: 7. Let F = F3 . There are four-dimensional subspaces of the space of column vectors F 2 . Describe them. Left multiplication by an invertible matrix permutes these subspaces. Prove that this operation defines a homomorphism : GL2 ( F ) S 4 . Determine the kernel and image of this homomorphism. Answer: Let F = F3 , then F 2 =
1
i

{( ) , ( ) , ( ) , ( ) , ( ) , ( ) , ( ) , ( ) , ( )} . Let v be the vectors space spanned by ( ) . v = {( ) , ( ) , ( ) } . Let v be the vector space spanned by ( ) v = {( ) , ( ) , ( )} . Similarly we get v = ( ) = {( ) , ( ) , ( )} and v = ( ) = {( ) , ( ) , ( )} . Clearly these are the only four
0 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 1 1 1 2 2 0 2 1 2 2

0 1

0 0

0 1

0 2

1 0

0 0

0 1

2 0

1 1

0 0

1 1

2 2

1 2

0 0

1 2

2 1

1-dimensional vector spaces of F 2 . Let A GL2 ( F ) and let : GL2 ( F ) S 4 (a ) = mA where mA is the action of the matrix A on {v1 , v2 , v3 , v4 } (you should check that indeed for any invertible matrix A GL( F 2 ) AVi = V j ). By proposition 8.2, is a homomorphism.

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Kernel ( ) = { A GL2 ( F ) mA = id }

a b 0 1 1 1 0 j k i.e.: = c d 1 0 1 2 i 0 k b a a + b a + 2b 0 j k = d c c + d c + 2d i 0 k 1 0 2 0 Ker( ) = , . 0 1 0 2

for a, b, c, d , i 2 j , k , , F3 which is satisfied iff b = 0, c = 0, a = d . 2

To find the image of we first determine the order of GL2 (F3 ) . A matrix belongs to GL2 (F3 ) if it has two linearly independent columns. There are 8 choices for the first column, out of nine possibilities, since

( 0 ) cannot be a column in an invertible matrix. 0

Next, for the

second column we are left with six choices of vectors linearly independent to the first one. Hence, GL2 ( F3 ) = 48 . But then G = ker Im Im = 24 Im = S 4 .

Section 5.9 Question: 5. Prove that the icosahedral group has a subgroup of order 10. Answer: Let x be the rotation about a line through the centers of two faces by an angle of 2 / 5 . Let y be the rotation about a line joining two opposite edges (and perpendicular to the line above) by an angle . x5 = 1, y 2 = 1 , and geometrically one sees that yx = x 1 y . Thus, H D5 .

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