Group Theory Assignment 6

Chapter 7, Pg 142

Q12. Let G be the group of non-zero complex numbers under multipli-

cation and let H = {x ∈ G| | x |= 1}. Give a geometric description
of the cosets of H.

√
All elements belonging to set H can be represented as a+ib where a2 + b2 = 1.
Also √we can express a + ib in polar form

as r1 (cos θ1 + i sin θ1 )
where
r1 = a2 + b2 = 1 and θ1 = tan−1 ab for a > 0, θ1 = tan−1 ab + π for a < 0

∴ geometrically H is a circle of radius 1 with center (0,0).

Now the possible cosets of H are wH and Hw where w ∈ G.

Without loss of generality, taking wH and writing w as an arbitrary complex
number f + ig which can be written
  in polar form as r2 (cos
 θ2 + i sin θ2 ) where
−1 g −1 g
p
2 2
r2 = f + g and θ2 = tan for f > 0, θ2 = tan
f f + π for f < 0

∴ wH = {r2 (cos θ2 + i sin θ2 ).r1 (cos θ1 + i sin θ1 )}

= {r2 (cos(θ1 + θ2 ) + i sin(θ1 + θ2 ))}

∴ geometrically the coset is a circle of radius p

r2 with center (0,0).
Thus, coset of H scales the radius by | w | or f 2 + g 2 .