CYCLIC GROUPS

Cyclic Groups

1. The cyclic subgroup of G generated by a ∈ G is hai = {an : n ∈ Z}.

• hai = ha−1 i = smallest subgroup of G that contains a
2. a ∈ G is of finite order n if n is the least positive integer s.t. am = e. Notation: |a| = n
• |a−1 | = |a|
• |ab| = |ba|
• |bab−1 | = |a|
3. a ∈ G is of infinite order if am 6= e for any m ∈ N.
4. Examples
• nZ = hni = {kn : k ∈ Z} is a cyclic subgroup of Z set of multiples of n, all nontrivial subgroups of Z
∗
• U4 = hii = {1, i, −1, −i} is a cyclic subgroup of C
• If σ ∈ Sn is a cycle of length k then |σ| = k
Q
• If (a1 , a2 , ..., an ) ∈ Gi and each Gi is a finite group then |(a1 , a2 , ..., an )| = lcm(|a1 |, |a2 |, ..., |an |).
• Let A = ( 10 11 ) ∈ GL(2, R). Then An = ( 10 n1 ) , ∀n ∈ N (using induction) so A is of infinite order.
5. A group G is a cyclic group if G = hai = for some a ∈ G.

Results on Cyclic Groups (Let G = hai for all except item 1)

1. structural property. Given: G ∼

= G0 .
• G is cyclic iff G0 is cyclic
2. distinct elements.
• |a| = ∞ ⇒ G = {..., a−1 , e, a, ...} and all distinct powers of a are distinct Pf. am = e iff m = 0
• |a| = n ⇒ G = {e, a, a2 , ..., an−1 } and ai = aj iff i = j(mod n). Use DA: b ∈ G ⇒ b = am = anq+r
3. finite order of as . Given: |a| = n
• am = e ⇒ n | m
n n
• s | n ⇒ |as | = s 0<r< s ⇒ (as )r 6= e since sr < n
n n s n n
• s ∈ N ⇒ |as | = gcd(n,s) (as )r = e ⇒ n|sr ⇒ gcd(n,s) | gcd(n,s) r ⇒ gcd(n,s) |r ∴ gcd(n,s) ≤r

4. one infinite and one finite (order n).

• |G| = ∞ ⇒ G ∼
=Z for both, use the isomorphism σ(ai ) = i.
∼
• |G| = n ⇒ G = Zn ex. nZ = hni ∼= Z, U4 = hii ∼
= Z4
5. abelian.
• all cyclic groups are abelian Pf. structural properties
6. subgroups.
• H ≤ G ⇒ H is cyclic claim: H = han i, smallest positive n s.t. an ∈ H, use DA
7. only generators.
• |G| = ∞ ⇒ G = hai = ha−1 i
n
• |G| = n ⇒ G = has i ⇔ gcd(n, s) = 1 has i ⊆ hai so has i = hai ⇔ |has i| = |hai| ⇔ gcd(n,s) =n

8. generators of finite subgroups. Given: |a| = n

• d | n ⇒ ∃! subgroup of G with order d, namely han/d i ex. subgroups of Z18 : h0i, h1i, h2i, h3i, h6i, h9i
blank other generators of h2i: 2,4,8,10,14,16