Department of Mathematics

MAL 180: Discrete Mathematical Structures

Problems on Algebra

1. Let p, q be distinct primes. Let H be a proper subgroup of (Z, +) such that H contains exactly
three of the elements {p, p + q, pq, pq , q p }. Determine which of the following are the three
elements of H.

(i) pq, pq , q p ; (ii) p + q, pq, pq ; (iii) p, p + q, pq; (iv) p, pq , q p ; (v) p, pq, pq .

2. Prove that a group G is abelian if and only if (ab)−1 = a−1 b−1 for all a, b ∈ G.

3. Let G be a group in which x2 = e for each x ∈ G. Prove that G is abelian.

4. Let G be a group, and let a ∈ G. The centralizer of a in G is given by

C(a) = {g ∈ G : ga = ag}.

Prove that C(a) is a subgroup of G.

5. Let G be a group. Prove that the center of G, given by

Z(G) = {a ∈ G : ga = ag for all g ∈ G},

\
is a subgroup of G, and that Z(G) = C(a).
a∈G

6. Let G be a group, and let H be a subgroup of G. The centralizer of H in G is given by

C(H) = {g ∈ G : gh = hg for all h ∈ H}.

Prove that C(H) is a subgroup of G.

7. Let G be an abelian group, and let n ∈ Z. Prove that the set G[n] = {x ∈ G : xn = e} is a
subgroup of G. Give an example of a group G for which G[2] is not a subgroup of G.

8. Let H be a subgroup of Z2n . Prove that either every member of H is even, or exactly half of
the members of H are even.

9. Let G be a finite group, of order n.

(a) If n is even, prove that there exists an element a ∈ G such that ◦(a) = 2.
(b) Show that {x ∈ G : x2 6= e} is even.
(c) Show that {x ∈ G : x3 = e} is odd.
(d) Show that 4 divides {x ∈ G : x5 = e, x 6= e} .

10. Let G be a group, and let g ∈ G. Define a function φg : G → G by φg (x) = gxg −1 for all x ∈ G.

(a) Prove that φg is a bijection.

(b) Prove that φg ◦ φh = φgh .
(c) Prove that φg is an automorphism of G.


(d) If ◦(g) is finite, prove that ◦ φg | ◦(g).

11. Let G be a group. Prove that the mapping g 7→ g −1 for all g ∈ G is an automorphism if and
only if G is abelian.

12. Prove that the product of all elements of any abelian group of odd order equals e.

1
13. Let p be an odd prime. Let G be a non-abelian group of order 2p. Determine the number of
elements of G of order 2.
14. Let G be a cyclic group of order n, and let d | n, d ≥ 1.
(a) Prove that G has φ(d) elements of order d.
(b) Prove that G has a unique subgroup of order d.
(c) Prove that X
φ(d) = n.
d|n


15. Prove that every cyclic group
of order n is isomorphic to Zn , ⊕n , and that every infinite cyclic
group is isomorphic to Z, + .
16. Let p, q be distinct primes. Suppose G is a group of order pq such that G has a unique subgroup
of order p and a unique subgroup of order q. Prove that G is cyclic.
17. Prove that every subgroup of Dn of odd order is cyclic.
18. Let G be a group, and let a, b ∈ G. Let ◦(a) = m and ◦(b) = n.
(a) If gcd(m, n) = 1, prove that < a > ∩ < b > = {e}.
(b) If ab = ba and < a > ∩ < b > = {e}, then there exists c ∈ G such that ◦(c) = lcm(m, n).
19. Prove that U Zm , ⊕m is not cyclic when m = 2n , n ≥ 3.

(" # )
1 n
20. Prove that H = :n∈Z is a cyclic subgroup of GL(2, R).
0 1
(" # )
a −b
21. Let M = : a, b ∈ R , and let M ? denote the set of all non-zero matrices in M .
b a

(a) Prove that M forms a group under (matrix) addition and M ? forms a group under (ma-
trix) multiplication.
(b) Prove that M, + =


∼ C, +
and M ? , ×
∼

= C \ {0}, × .


22. Determine Aut Z .
23. Prove that Q, + 6∼
= R+ , × .

24. Let H be a subgroup of index 2 in G. Prove that H is a normal subgroup of G.

25. (a) Let H, K be subgroups of G. Prove that HK is a subgroup of G if and only if HK = KH.
(b) If N is a normal subgroup of G, prove that N H is a subgroup of G.


26. Determine all subgroups of R \ {0}, × of index 2.
27. Let N be a normal subgroup of a finite group G, and let |G/N | = m.
(a) Prove that ◦(gN ) in G/N divides ◦(g) in G.
(b) Show that g m ∈ N for all g ∈ G.
(c) If gcd (◦(g), m) = 1, prove that g ∈ H.
28. Suppose G has a subgroup of order n. Prove that the intersection of all subgroups of G of
order n is a normal subgroup of G.
29. Let G be a group, and let N = {g 2 : g ∈ G} be a subgroup of G. Prove that N is a normal
subgroup of G.
30. Let N be a normal subgroup of G. If N is cyclic, prove that every subgroup of N is also normal
in G.