“CYCLIC GROUP”

MATH 109: A Module in Abstract Algebra

Student:

Ma. Shiela M. Narce

Professional Lecturer

Marc DG. Garvida, PhD

 CYCLIC GROUP

“Abstract Algebra is wonderful because you can prove things about groups that you
don’t even understand.”
— Abstract Algebra Professor
 CYCLIC GROUPS

Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the students shall be able to:

1. Definition and notation

2. Examples
• Integer and modular addition
• Modular multiplication
• Rotational symmetries
• Galois theory
3. Subgroups
4. Additional properties
5. Associated objects
• Representations
• Cycle graph
• Cayley graph
• Endomorphisms
• Tensor product and Hom of cyclic groups
Introduction
Definition of a Cyclic Groups

In group theory, a branch of abstract algebra, a cyclic group or monogenous

group is a group that is generated by a single element. That is, it is
a set of invertible elements with a single associative binary operation, and it contains an
element g such that every other element of the group may be obtained by repeatedly
applying the group operation to g or its inverse. Each element can be written as a power
of g in multiplicative notation, or as a multiple of g in additive notation. This element g is
called a generator of the group.
Every infinite cyclic group is isomorphic to the additive group of Z, the integers.
Every finite cyclic group of order n is isomorphic to the additive group of Z/nZ, the
integers modulo n. Every cyclic group is an abelian group (meaning that its group
operation is commutative), and every finitely generated abelian group is a direct
product of cyclic groups.
Every cyclic group of prime order is a simple group, which cannot be broken down
into smaller groups. In the classification of finite simple groups, one of the three infinite
classes consists of the cyclic groups of prime order. The cyclic groups of prime order are
thus among the building blocks from which all groups can be built.
 Definition and Notation

The six 6th complex roots of unity form a cyclic group under multiplication.
Here z is a generator, but z2 is not, because its powers fail to produce the odd powers
of z.

For any element g in any group G, one can form the subgroup of all integer powers
⟨g⟩ = {gk | k ∈ Z}, called the cyclic subgroup of g. The order of g is the number of
elements in ⟨g⟩; that is, the order of an element is equal to the order of its cyclic subgroup.
A cyclic group is a group which is equal to one of its cyclic subgroups: G = ⟨g⟩ for
some element g, called a generator.
For a finite cyclic group G of order n we have G = {e, g, g2, ... , gn−1}, where e is
the identity element and gi = gj whenever i ≡ j (mod n); in particular gn = g0 = e,
and g−1 = gn−1. An abstract group defined by this multiplication is often denoted C n, and
we say that G is isomorphic to the standard cyclic group Cn. Such a group is also
isomorphic to Z/nZ, the group of integers modulo n with the addition operation, which is
the standard cyclic group in additive notation. Under the isomorphism χ defined by χ(gi)
= i the identity element e corresponds to 0, products correspond to sums, and powers
correspond to multiples.
For example, the set of complex 6th roots of unity
forms a group under multiplication. It is cyclic, since it is generated by the primitive

root that is, G = ⟨z⟩ = { 1, z, z2, z3, z4, z5 } with z6 = 1. Under a change of letters, this
is isomorphic to (structurally the same as) the standard cyclic group of order 6, defined
as C6 = ⟨g⟩ = { e, g, g2, g3, g4, g5 } with multiplication gj · gk = gj+k (mod 6), so that g6 = g0 =
e. These groups are also isomorphic to Z/6Z = {0,1,2,3,4,5} with the operation of
addition modulo 6, with zk and gk corresponding to k. For example, 1 + 2 ≡ 3 (mod
6) corresponds to z1 · z2 = z3, and 2 + 5 ≡ 1 (mod 6) corresponds to z2 · z5 = z7 = z1, and
so on. Any element generates its own cyclic subgroup, such as ⟨z2⟩ = { e, z2, z4 } of order
3, isomorphic to C3 and Z/3Z; and ⟨z5⟩ = { e, z5, z10 = z4, z15 = z3, z20 = z2, z25 = z } = G,
so that z5 has order 6 and is an alternative generator of G.
Instead of the quotient notations Z/nZ, Z/(n), or Z/n, some authors denote a finite
cyclic group as Zn, but this conflicts with the notation of number theory,
where Zp denotes a p-adic number ring, or localization at a prime ideal.

INFINITE CYCLIC GROUP

On the other hand, in an infinite cyclic group G = ⟨g⟩, the powers gk give distinct
elements for all integers k, so that G = { ... , g−2, g−1, e, g, g2, ... }, and G is isomorphic to
the standard group C = C∞ and to Z, the additive group of the integers. An example is the
first frieze group. Here there are no finite cycles, and the name "cyclic" may be
misleading.
To avoid this confusion, Bourbaki introduced the term monogenous group for a
group with a single generator and restricted "cyclic group" to mean a finite monogenous
group, avoiding the term "infinite cyclic group".

Examples
Integer and modular addition
The set of integers Z, with the operation of addition, forms a group. [1] It is
an infinite cyclic group, because all integers can be written by repeatedly adding or
subtracting the single number 1. In this group, 1 and −1 are the only generators. Every
infinite cyclic group is isomorphic to Z.
For every positive integer n, the set of integers modulo n, again with the operation
of addition, forms a finite cyclic group, denoted Z/nZ.[1] A modular integer i is a generator
of this group if i is relatively prime to n, because these elements can generate all other
elements of the group through integer addition. (The number of such generators is φ(n),
where φ is the Euler totient function.) Every finite cyclic group G is isomorphic to Z/nZ,
where n = |G| is the order of the group.
The addition operations on integers and modular integers, used to define the cyclic
groups, are the addition operations of commutative rings, also
denoted Z and Z/nZ or Z/(n). If p is a prime, then Z/pZ is a finite field, and is usually
denoted Fp or GF(p) for Galois field.
Modular multiplication
For every positive integer n, the set of the integers modulo n that are relatively
prime to n is written as (Z/nZ)×; it forms a group under the operation of multiplication. This
group is not always cyclic, but is so whenever n is 1, 2, 4, a power of an odd prime, or
twice a power of an odd prime (sequence A033948 in the OEIS).[4][5] This is the
multiplicative group of units of the ring Z/nZ; there are φ(n) of them, where again φ is
the Euler totient function. For example, (Z/6Z)× = {1,5}, and since 6 is twice an odd prime
this is a cyclic group. In contrast, (Z/8Z)× = {1,3,5,7} is a Klein 4-group and is not cyclic.
When (Z/nZ)× is cyclic, its generators are called primitive roots modulo n.
For a prime number p, the group (Z/pZ)× is always cyclic, consisting of the non-
zero elements of the finite field of order p. More generally, every finite subgroup of the
multiplicative group of any field is cyclic.

Rotational symmetries
The set of rotational symmetries of a polygon forms a finite cyclic group. If there
are n different ways of moving the polygon to itself by a rotation (including the null
rotation) then this symmetry group is isomorphic to Z/nZ. In three or higher dimensions
there exist other finite symmetry groups that are cyclic, but which are not all rotations
around an axis, but instead rotoreflections.
The group of all rotations of a circle S1 (the circle group, also denoted S1)
is not cyclic, because there is no single rotation whose integer powers generate all
rotations. In fact, the infinite cyclic group C∞ is countable, while S1 is not. The group of
rotations by rational angles is countable, but still not cyclic.
Galois theory
An nth root of unity is a complex number whose nth power is 1, a root of
the polynomial xn − 1. The set of all nth roots of unity form a cyclic group of order n under
multiplication.[1] For example, the polynomial z3 − 1 factors as (z − 1)(z − ω)(z − ω2),
where ω = e2πi/3; the set {1, ω, ω2} = {ω0, ω1, ω2} forms a cyclic group under
multiplication. The Galois group of the field extension of the rational numbers generated
by the nth roots of unity forms a different group, isomorphic to the multiplicative group
(Z/nZ)× of order φ(n), which is cyclic for some but not all n (see above).
A field extension is called a cyclic extension if its Galois group is cyclic. For fields
of characteristic zero, such extensions are the subject of Kummer theory, and are
intimately related to solvability by radicals. For an extension of finite fields of
characteristic p, its Galois group is always finite and cyclic, generated by a power of
the Frobenius mapping.[8] Conversely, given a finite field F and a finite cyclic group G,
there is a finite field extension of F whose Galois group is G.
Subgroups
All subgroups and quotient groups of cyclic groups are cyclic. Specifically, all
subgroups of Z are of the form ⟨m⟩ = mZ, with m a positive integer. All of these subgroups
are distinct from each other, and apart from the trivial group {0} = 0Z, they all
are isomorphic to Z. The lattice of subgroups of Z is isomorphic to the dual of the lattice
of natural numbers ordered by divisibility.[10] Thus, since a prime number p has no
nontrivial divisors, pZ is a maximal proper subgroup, and the quotient
group Z/pZ is simple; in fact, a cyclic group is simple if and only if its order is prime.[11]
All quotient groups Z/nZ are finite, with the exception Z/0Z = Z/{0}. For every
positive divisor d of n, the quotient group Z/nZ has precisely one subgroup of order d,
generated by the residue class of n/d. There are no other subgroups.

Additional properties
Every cyclic group is abelian. That is, its group operation
is commutative: gh = hg (for all g and h in G). This is clear for the groups of integer and
modular addition
since r + s ≡ s + r (mod n), and it follows for all cyclic groups since they are all isomorphic
to these standard groups. For a finite cyclic group of order n, gn is the identity element for
any element g. This again follows by using the isomorphism to modular addition,
since kn ≡ 0 (mod n) for every integer k. (This is also true for a general group of order n,
due to Lagrange's theorem.)
For a prime power pk, the group Z/pkZ is called a primary cyclic group.
The fundamental theorem of abelian groups states that every finitely generated abelian
group is a finite direct product of primary cyclic and infinite cyclic groups.
Because a cyclic group is abelian, each of its conjugacy classes consists of a
single element. A cyclic group of order n therefore has n conjugacy classes.
If d is a divisor of n, then the number of elements in Z/nZ which have
order d is φ(d), and the number of elements whose order divides d is exactly d. If G is a
finite group in which, for each n > 0, G contains at most n elements of order dividing n,
then G must be cyclic.[note 2] The order of an element m in Z/nZ is n/gcd(n,m).
If n and m are coprime, then the direct product of two cyclic
groups Z/nZ and Z/mZ is isomorphic to the cyclic group Z/nmZ, and the converse also
holds: this is one form of the Chinese remainder theorem. For example, Z/12Z is
isomorphic to the direct product Z/3Z × Z/4Z under the isomorphism (k mod 12) → (k mod
3, k mod 4); but it is not isomorphic to Z/6Z × Z/2Z, in which every element has order at
most 6.
 If p is a prime number, then any group with p elements is isomorphic to the simple
group Z/pZ. A number n is called a cyclic number if Z/nZ is the only group of order n,
which is true exactly when gcd(n,φ(n)) = 1. The cyclic numbers include all primes, but
some are composite such as 15. However, all cyclic numbers are odd except 2. The cyclic
numbers are:
1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 41, 43, 47, 51, 53, 59, 61,
65, 67, 69, 71, 73, 77, 79, 83, 85, 87, 89, 91, 95, 97, 101, 103, 107, 109, 113, 115,
119, 123, 127, 131, 133, 137, 139, 141, 143, ... (sequence A003277 in the OEIS)
The definition immediately implies that cyclic groups have group presentation C∞ =
⟨x | ⟩ and Cn = ⟨x | xn⟩ for finite n.

Subgroups
All subgroups and quotient groups of cyclic groups are cyclic. Specifically, all
subgroups of Z are of the form ⟨m⟩ = mZ, with m a positive integer. All of these subgroups
are distinct from each other, and apart from the trivial group {0} = 0Z, they all
are isomorphic to Z. The lattice of subgroups of Z is isomorphic to the dual of the lattice
of natural numbers ordered by divisibility. Thus, since a prime number p has no nontrivial
divisors, pZ is a maximal proper subgroup, and the quotient group Z/pZ is simple; in fact,
a cyclic group is simple if and only if its order is prime.
All quotient groups Z/nZ are finite, with the exception Z/0Z = Z/{0}. For every
positive divisor d of n, the quotient group Z/nZ has precisely one subgroup of order d,
generated by the residue class of n/d. There are no other subgroups.

Additional properties
Every cyclic group is abelian. That is, its group operation
is commutative: gh = hg (for all g and h in G). This is clear for the groups of integer and
modular addition since r + s ≡ s + r (mod n), and it follows for all cyclic groups since they
are all isomorphic to these standard groups. For a finite cyclic group of order n, gn is the
identity element for any element g. This again follows by using the isomorphism to
modular addition, since kn ≡ 0 (mod n) for every integer k. (This is also true for a general
group of order n, due to Lagrange's theorem.)
For a prime power pk, the group Z/pkZ is called a primary cyclic group.
The fundamental theorem of abelian groups states that every finitely generated abelian
group is a finite direct product of primary cyclic and infinite cyclic groups.
Because a cyclic group is abelian, each of its conjugacy classes consists of a
single element. A cyclic group of order n therefore has n conjugacy classes.
If d is a divisor of n, then the number of elements in Z/nZ which have
order d is φ(d), and the number of elements whose order divides d is exactly d. If G is a
finite group in which, for each n > 0, G contains at most n elements of order dividing n,
then G must be cyclic.[note 2] The order of an element m in Z/nZ is n/gcd(n,m).
If n and m are coprime, then the direct product of two cyclic
groups Z/nZ and Z/mZ is isomorphic to the cyclic group Z/nmZ, and the converse also
holds: this is one form of the Chinese remainder theorem. For example, Z/12Z is
isomorphic to the direct product Z/3Z × Z/4Z under the isomorphism (k mod 12) → (k mod
3, k mod 4); but it is not isomorphic to Z/6Z × Z/2Z, in which every element has order at
most 6.
If p is a prime number, then any group with p elements is isomorphic to the simple
group Z/pZ. A number n is called a cyclic number if Z/nZ is the only group of order n,
which is true exactly when gcd(n,φ(n)) = 1.[13] The cyclic numbers include all primes, but
some are composite such as 15. However, all cyclic numbers are odd except 2. The cyclic
numbers are:
1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 41, 43, 47, 51, 53, 59, 61,
65, 67, 69, 71, 73, 77, 79, 83, 85, 87, 89, 91, 95, 97, 101, 103, 107, 109, 113, 115,
119, 123, 127, 131, 133, 137, 139, 141, 143, ... (sequence A003277 in the OEIS)
The definition immediately implies that cyclic groups have group presentation C∞ =
⟨x | ⟩ and Cn = ⟨x | xn⟩ for finite n.
Cayley graph

The Paley graph of order 13, a circulant graph formed as the Cayley graph of Z/13 with
generator set {1,3,4}
A Cayley graph is a graph defined from a pair (G,S) where G is a group and S is a set of
generators for the group; it has a vertex for each group element, and an edge for each
product of an element with a generator. In the case of a finite cyclic group, with its single
generator, the Cayley graph is a cycle graph, and for an infinite cyclic group with its
generator the Cayley graph is a doubly infinite path graph. However, Cayley graphs can
be defined from other sets of generators as well. The Cayley graphs of cyclic groups with
arbitrary generator sets are called circulant graphs.[16] These graphs may be represented
geometrically as a set of equally spaced points on a circle or on a line, with each point
connected to neighbors with the same set of distances as each other point. They are
exactly the vertex-transitive graphs whose symmetry group includes a transitive cyclic
group.
Endomorphisms
The endomorphism ring of the abelian group Z/nZ is isomorphic to Z/nZ itself as
aring.[18] Under this isomorphism, the number r corresponds to the endomorphism
of Z/nZ that maps each element to the sum of r copies of it. This is a bijection if and only
if r is coprime with n, so the automorphism group of Z/nZ is isomorphic to the unit group
(Z/nZ)×.[18]
Similarly, the endomorphism ring of the additive group of Z is isomorphic to the
ring Z. Its automorphism group is isomorphic to the group of units of the ring Z, which
is ({−1, +1}, ×) ≅ C2.
Tensor product and Hom of cyclic groups
The tensor product Z/mZ ⊗ Z/nZ can be shown to be isomorphic to Z /
gcd(m, n)Z. So we can form the collection of group homomorphisms from Z/mZ to Z/nZ,
denoted hom(Z/mZ, Z/nZ), which is itself a group.
For the tensor product, this is a consequence of the general fact
that R/I ⊗R R/J ≅ R/(I + J), where R is a commutative ring with unit
and I and J are ideals of the ring. For the Hom group, recall that it is isomorphic to the
subgroup of Z / nZ consisting of the elements of order dividing m. That subgroup is cyclic
of order gcd(m, n), which completes the proof.
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