6 Subgroups. Normal subgroups.

Factor groups
P. 6.1. Let (G, ·) be a group, H ≤ G and g ∈ G. If |g| = n and g m ∈ H, where n, m ∈ N∗ , (m, n) = 1,
then g ∈ H.
P. 6.2. Let (G, ·) be a group and H, K ≤ G, cu H ≤ K. Show that

[G : H] = [G : K] · [K : H] .

P. 6.3. Let (G, ·) be a group and H, K, L ≤ G, with H ≤ K. Show that

[K : H] ≥ [K ∩ L : H ∩ L] .

P. 6.4. Let (G, ·) be a group and H, K ≤ G. Show that

[G : K] ≥ [H : H ∩ K] .

P. 6.5. Let (G, ·) be a group and H, K ≤ G. Show that

[G : H] · [G : K] ≥ [G : H ∩ K] .

P. 6.6. Let (G, ·) be a group and H, K ≤ G two finite subgroups. Show that

|HK| · |H ∩ K| = |H| · |K| .

P. 6.7. Let (X, d) be a metric space. A bijective function ϕ : X −→ X is called an isometry of the metric
space (X, d) if
((x)ϕ, (y)ϕ)d = (x, y)d , (∀)x, y ∈ X .
a) Show that Izom(X) = {ϕ ∈ SX | ϕ − isometry} ≤ SX .
b) If Y ⊆ X, show that SX (Y ) = {ϕ ∈ Izom(X)| (Y ) = (Y )ϕ} ≤ Izom(X).
c) Let n ∈ N, n ≥ 3, and [A1 A2 . . . An ] be a regular polygon with n sides in the euclidean plane P.
Determine the group SP ([A1 A2 . . . An ]). This group is generally denoted Dn and is called the dihedral
group of degree n.
P. 6.8. Determine the orders of the following groups presented in terms of generators and relations:
a) G = hx, y| x3 = y 2 = (xy)2 = 1i.
b) G = hx, y| x3 = y 2 = (xy)3 = 1i.
c) G = hx, y| xy 2 = y 3 x, yx3 = x2 yi.

P. 6.9. Let (G, ·) be a group and H ≤ G. Show that H E G if and only if

(∀)a, b ∈ G : ab ∈ H ⇐⇒ ba ∈ H .

P. 6.10. Let (G, ·) be a group and H, K E G, cu H ∩ K = 1. Show that hk = kh, (∀)h ∈ H, k ∈ K.

P. 6.11. Let (G, ·) be a group and H ≤ Z(G). Show that H E G. In particular, Z(G) E G.
P. 6.12. Let (G, ·) be a group, G0 = h[a, b]| a, b ∈ Gi its commutator subgroup and H ≤ G, with G0 ≤ H.
Show that H E G. In particular, G0 E G.
P. 6.13. Let (G, ·) be a group and G[2] = ha2 | a ∈ Gi. Show that G[2] E G.
P. 6.14. Let (G, ·) be a group and a ∈ G an element such that a is the only element of order 2 in G.
Show that a ∈ Z(G).
P. 6.15. Let (G, ·) be a group and g ∈ G. Show that the application ig : G −→ G : x 7−→ xg (= g −1 xg) is
an automorphism of the group G(called the inner automorphism of the group G, asociated to the element
g). Check that ig · ih = igh and ig−1 = (ig )−1 .

1
P. 6.16. Let (G, ·) be a group and H ≤ G. Show that H x ≤ G. If H is abelian(resp. cyclic, generated
by the element a), then H x is also abelian(resp. cyclic, generated by the element ax ).

P. 6.17. Let Inn(G) := {ig | g ∈ G} be the set of inner automorphisms. Show that Inn(G) E Aut(G)
and Inn(G) ∼
= G/Z(G).
P. 6.18. Let K be a field and n ∈ N∗ . Let GLn (K) = {A ∈ Mn (K)| det(A) 6= 0} be the general linear
group of degree n over the field K, and SLn (K) = {A ∈ Mn (K)| det(A) = 1} the special linear group of
degree n over the field K. Show that SLn (K) E GLn (K) and GLn (K)/SLn (K) ∼= K∗ .
P. 6.19. Let (G, ·) be a group and H E G, with |G/H| = n. Show that
a) g n ∈ H, (∀)g ∈ G.
b) if g m ∈ H, where m ∈ Z, such that (m, n) = 1, then g ∈ H.
P. 6.20. Let (G, ·) be a group and H E G, with |H| = m, and n ∈ N∗ , with (m, n) = 1. Show that
a) if x ∈ G has order |x| = n, then |xH| = n in the factor group G/H.
b) if x ∈ G has the property that cǎ |xH| = n in the factor group G/H, then there is an element y ∈ xH,
such that |y| = n.
P. 6.21. Let (G, ·) be a group, H ≤ G and N E G, such that |H| = m, [G : N ] = n, with m, n ∈ N∗ ,
(m, n) = 1. Show that H ⊆ N .

P. 6.22. Let (G, ·) be a group, H ≤ G and N E G, such that |N | = m, [G : H] = n, with m, n ∈ N∗ ,

(m, n) = 1. Show that N ⊆ H.
P. 6.23. Let (G, ·) be a group and vid 6= A ⊆ G. Show that CG (A) E NG (A) and NG (A)/CG (A) is
isomorphic to a subgroup of the symmetric group SA of the set A.
T x
P. 6.24. Let (G, ·) be a group, H ≤ G and coreG (H) = H . Show that
x∈G
a) coreG (H) E G and coreG (H) ⊆ H.
b) if K E G, with K ⊆ H, then K ⊆ coreG (H).
c) G/coreG (H) is isomorphic to a subgroup of the symmetric group S(G/H)s of the set (G/H)s of left
cosets of H in G.
d) if [G : H] = n, then [G : coreG (H)] | n!.
e) H E G ⇐⇒ H = coreG (H).
P. 6.25. Let (G, ·) be a finite group, p the smallest prime divisor of the order of the group G and H ≤ G,
such that [G : H] = p. Show that H E G.
P. 6.26. Let (G, ·) be a group. Show that G/G0 is abelian, and if H E G, then G/H is abelian if and
only if G0 ≤ H.
P. 6.27. Let (G, ·) be a group and H, K ≤ G. The commutator of the subgroups H and K is [H, K] =
h[h, k]| h ∈ H, k ∈ Ki. Show that
a) H E G ⇐⇒ [H, G] ≤ H.
b) if K E G and K ≤ H ≤ G, then H/K ≤ Z(G/K) ⇐⇒ [H, G] ≤ K.
P. 6.28. Let (G, ·) be a group and H ≤ Z(G). Show that if G/H is a cyclic group, then G is abelian.
P. 6.29. Let (G, ·) be a group such that the group Aut(G) of all of its automorphisms is cyclic. Show
that G is abelian.