MATH 3005 Homework Solution Han-Bom Moon

Homework 3 Solution
Chapter 3.
2. Let Q be the group of rational numbers under addition and let Q

be the group
of nonzero rational numbers under multiplication. In Q, list the elements in
1
2
.
In Q

, list the elements in

1
2
= {n
1
2
| n Z} = { , 2,
3
2
, 1,
1
2
, 0,
1
2
, 1,
3
2
, 2, } = {
n
2
| n Z}.
In Q

1
2
= {
_
1
2
_
n
| n Z} = {
1
2
n
| n Z} = { , 4, 2, 1,
1
2
,
1
4
, } = {2
n
| n Z}.
4. Prove that in any group, an element and its inverse have the same order.
If |a| = n, a
n
= e. So (a
1
)
n
= (a
n
)
1
= e
1
= e. Therefore |a
1
| n = |a| by
the denition of order. By the same reason, |a| = |(a
1
)
1
| |a
1
|. So we obtain
|a| = |a
1
|.
Now suppose that |a| = . We need to show that |a
1
| = as well. If not,
|a
1
| = n for some n > 0. Then e = (a
1
)
n
= (a
n
)
1
, or equivalently, a
n
= e
1
=
e. Therefore |a| n and arise a contradiction. Hence |a
1
| = .
6. In the group Z
12
nd |a|, |b|, and |a +b| for each case.
(a) a = 6, b = 2
a = 6, a +a = 12 = 0 |a| = 2
b = 2, b +b = 4, 3 b = 6, 4 b = 8, 5 b = 10, 6 b = 12 = 0 |b| = 6
a +b = 8, 2 (a +b) = 16 = 4, 3 (a +b) = 24 = 0 |a +b| = 3
(b) a = 3, b = 8
a = 3, 2 a = 6, 3 a = 9, 4 a = 12 = 0 |a| = 4
b = 8 |b| = 3 (see (a).)
a +b = 11 = 1 |a +b| = | 1| = |1| = 12
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MATH 3005 Homework Solution Han-Bom Moon
(c) a = 5, b = 4
a = 5, 2 a = 10, 3 a = 15 = 3, 4 a = 8, 5 a = 13 = 1, 6 a = 6,
7 a = 11, 8 a = 16 = 4, 9 a = 9, 10 a = 14 = 2, 11 a = 7, 12 a = 12 = 0
|a| = 12
b = 4, 2 b = 8, 3 b = 12 = 0 |b| = 3
a +b = 9 = 3 |a +b| = | 3| = |3| = 4
15. If a is an element of a group Gand |a| = 7, showthat a is the cube of some element
of G.
If |a| = 7, a
7
= e. Then
(a
5
)
3
= a
15
= a
27+1
= (a
7
)
2
a = e
2
a = a.
So a is the cube of a
5
.
18. Suppose that a is a group element and a
6
= e. What are the possibilities for |a|?
Provide reasons for your answer.
If a
6
= e, then |a| must be at most 6. So only 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 are all possibilities.
Furthermore, if a
4
= e, then a
2
= a
2
e = a
2
a
6
= a
8
= (a
4
)
2
= e
2
= e. So |a| = 4 is
impossible. Similarly, if a
5
= e, then a
3
= a
3
e
2
= a
3
(a
6
)
2
= a
15
= (a
5
)
3
= e
3
= e.
So |a| = 5 is impossible as well. In summary, only 1, 2, 3, 6 are possible. (They are
all divisors of 6. Of course, it is not an accident.)
19. If a is a group element and a has innite order, prove that a
m
= a
n
when m = n.
Suppose that a
m
= a
n
. Without lose of generality, we may assume that m n.
Then
a
mn
= a
m
(a
n
)
1
= a
m
(a
m
)
1
= e.
If m > n, then from a
mn
= e, we know that |a| < . Therefore m = n.
24. Suppose n is an even positive integer and H is a subgroup of Z
n
. Prove that either
every member of H is even or exactly half of the members of H are even.
Suppose that H is a subgroup of Z
n
. If H consists of even integers, then there is
nothing to prove. Now assume that there is a H, which is an odd integer. Let
E = {x H | x is even} and O = {x H | x is odd}. We need to show that the
number of elements of E is equal to that of O.
Take a map f : H H, given by f(x) = x + a mod n in Z
n
. We claim that if x is
even, then f(x) is odd and if x is odd, then f(x) is even. This is trivial if x+a < n.
If x + a n, then x + a mod n is odd if and only if x + a is odd because n is an
even integer. So the map f has a property that f(E) O and f(O) E.
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MATH 3005 Homework Solution Han-Bom Moon
Moreover, f is injective. Indeed, if f(x) = f(y), then x +a = y +a so by cancella-
tion, x = y. So from f(E) O, we know that the number of elements of E is less
than or equal to that of O. Similarly, from f(O) E, the number of elements of
O is less than or equal to that of E. Thus they have the same number of elements.
31. For each divisor k > 1 of n, let U
k
(n) = {x U(n)|x mod k = 1}. List the
elements of U
4
(20), U
5
(20), U
5
(30), and U
10
(30). Prove that U
k
(n) is a subgroup
of U(n). Let H = {x U(10)|x mod 3 = 1}. Is H a subgroup of U(10)?
U
4
(20) = {1, 9, 13, 17}, U
5
(20) = {1, 11}.
U
5
(30) = {1, 11}, U
10
(30) = {1, 11}.
Suppose that k is a divisor of n.
Step 1. U
k
(n) = .
Because 1 U
k
(n), U
k
(n) = .
Step 2. a, b U
k
(n) ab U
k
(n).
If a, b U
k
(n), then a mod k = 1 and b mod k = 1, or equivalently, a = xk + 1
and b = yk + 1 for two integers x, y Z. By using division algorithm, if we write
ab = qn + r with 0 r < n, then ab = r in U(n). Also n = uk for some u Z.
Now
r = ab qn = (xk + 1)(yk + 1) qn = xyk
2
+xk +yk + 1 quk
= k(xyk +x +y qu) + 1
so ab = r = 1 mod k. Thus ab U
k
(n) as well.
Step 3. a U
k
(n) a
1
U
k
(n).
In U(n), a
1
is the solution b Z
n
of ax = 1 mod n. For such b, ab = pn + 1 for
some p Z. Since a mod k = 1, a = qk + 1. Then pn + 1 = (qk + 1)b = qk + b.
Also n = uk for some u Z. Now
b = qk +b = pn + 1 = puk + 1.
Thus b = 1 mod k and b U
k
(n).
If n = 10 and k = 3, then H = {1, 7}. But 7 7 = 9 / H. So H is not closed under
the multiplication and H is not a subgroup of U(10).
32. If H and K are subgroups of G, show that H K is a subgroup of G. (Can you
see that the same proof shows that the intersection of any number of subgroups
of G, nite or innite, is again a subgroup of G?)
Step 1. H K = .
Because e H and e K, e H K. Thus H K = .
Step 2. a, b H K ab
1
H K.
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MATH 3005 Homework Solution Han-Bom Moon
If a, b H K, then a, b H and a, b K. Since H and K are both subgroups,
ab
1
H and ab
1
K. Thus ab
1
H K.
Therefore by subgroup test 2, H K G.
Note that the same proof holds for arbitrary number of subgroups (even for in-
nitely many!).
34. Let G be a group, and let a G. Prove that C(a) = C(a
1
).
If x C(a), ax = xa. Then x = a
1
ax = a
1
xa and xa
1
= a
1
xaa
1
= a
1
x.
Thus x C(a
1
). Therefore C(a) C(a
1
). By applying the same idea for a
1
,
we have C(a
1
) C((a
1
)
1
) = C(a). Thus C(a) = C(a
1
).
40. In the group Z, nd
(a) 8, 14;
(b) 8, 13;
(c) 6, 15;
(d) m, n;
(e) 12, 18, 45.
We would like to show a general statement (for (d)): m, n = gcd(m, n).
Let d = gcd(m, n). Then m = ad and n = bd for some a, b Z. So m = a d d
and n = b d d. Therefore m, n d.
On the other hand, if d = gcd(m, n), then there are two integers x, y Z such that
d = xm + yn. So d = x m + y n m, n. Hence d m, n. Thus we have
d = m, n.
(a) 8, 14
gcd(8, 14) = 2 8, 14 = 2
(b) 8, 13
gcd(8, 13) = 1 8, 13 = 1 = Z
(c) 6, 15
gcd(6, 15) = 3 6, 15 = 3
(d) m, n
m, n = gcd(m, n)
(e) 12, 18, 45
gcd(12, 45) = 3 12, 45 = 3
18 = 6 3 18 3
12, 18, 45 3 12, 18, 45 3
12, 45 12, 18, 45 3 = 12, 45 12, 18, 45
So
12, 18, 45 = 3.
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MATH 3005 Homework Solution Han-Bom Moon
42. If H is a subgroup of G, then by the centralizer C(H) of H we mean the set {x
G | xh = hx for all h H}. Prove that C(H) is a subgroup of G.
Step 1. C(H) = .
Because eh = he for all h H, e C(H).
Step 2. a, b C(H) ab C(H).
For all h H, abh = ahb = hab because a, b C(H). So ab C(H).
Step 3. a C(H) a
1
C(H).
For all h H, ah = ha. Then aha
1
= haa
1
= h and a
1
h = a
1
aha
1
= ha
1
for all h H. So a
1
C(H).
By subgroup test 1, C(H) G.
51. Let a be a group element of order n, and suppose that d is a positive divisor of n.
Prove that |a
d
| = n/d.
Suppose that n = kd. Then (a
d
)
k
= a
dk
= a
n
= e. So |a
d
| k = n/d. If |a
d
| = m,
then (a
d
)
m
= a
dm
= e so dm n and |a
d
| = m n/d. Therefore |a
d
| = n/d.
75. Let H be a subgroup of a group G. Prove that the set HZ(G) = {hz|h H, z
Z(G)} is a subgroup of G.
Step 1. HZ(G) = .
Since both H and Z(G) are subgroups of G, e H and e Z(G). So e = ee
HZ(G) and HZ(G) = .
Step 2. a, b HZ(G) ab
1
HZ(G).
From a, b HZ(G), a = h
1
z
1
and b = h
2
z
2
where h
1
, h
2
H and z
1
, z
2
Z(G).
Then
ab
1
= h
1
z
1
(h
2
z
2
)
1
= h
1
z
1
z
1
2
h
1
2
= h
1
z
1
h
1
2
z
1
2
= h
1
h
1
2
z
1
z
1
2
.
Because h
1
h
1
2
H and z
1
z
1
2
Z(G), ab
1
= h
1
h
1
2
z
1
z
1
2
HZ(G).
By subgroup test 2, HZ(G) G.
79. Let G = GL(2, R).
(a) Find C
__
1 1
1 0
__
.
If
_
a b
c d
_
C
__
1 1
1 0
__
, then
_
a +b a
c +d c
_
=
_
a b
c d
__
1 1
1 0
_
=
_
1 1
1 0
__
a b
c d
_
=
_
a +c b +d
a b
_
.
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MATH 3005 Homework Solution Han-Bom Moon
So a+b = a+c, a = b+d, c+d = a, and b = c. These conditions are equivalent
to b = c and a = b+d. Conversely, for
_
a b
c d
_
Gwith b = c and a = b+d,
then by the same equation,
_
a b
c d
_
C
__
1 1
1 0
__
. Therefore
C
__
1 1
1 0
__
=
__
a b
c d
_
G

a = b +d, b = c
_
(b) Find C
__
0 1
1 0
__
.
If
_
a b
c d
_
C
__
0 1
1 0
__
, then
_
b a
d c
_
=
_
a b
c d
__
0 1
1 0
_
=
_
0 1
1 0
__
a b
c d
_
=
_
c d
a b
_
.
So b = c and a = d. Conversely, for
_
a b
c d
_
G with b = c and a = d, then
by the same equation,
_
a b
c d
_
C
__
0 1
1 0
__
. Therefore
C
__
0 1
1 0
__
=
__
a b
c d
_
G

a = d, b = c
_
(c) Find Z(G).
Note that for any scalar matrix
_
k 0
0 k
_
with k = 0 is in Z(G), because
_
k 0
0 k
__
a b
c d
_
=
_
ka kb
kc kd
_
=
_
a b
c d
__
k 0
0 k
_
.
So
__
k 0
0 k
_

k = 0
_
Z(G).
Conversely, if
_
a b
c d
_
Z(G), then
_
a b
c d
__
1 1
1 0
_
=
_
1 1
1 0
__
a b
c d
_
so
_
a b
c d
_
C
__
1 1
1 0
__
. Similarly,
_
a b
c d
__
0 1
1 0
_
=
_
0 1
1 0
__
a b
c d
_
6
MATH 3005 Homework Solution Han-Bom Moon
so
_
a b
c d
_
C
__
0 1
1 0
__
.
Therefore a = b + d, b = c and a = d. From a = b + d and a = d, b = c = 0.
Hence
_
a b
c d
_
=
_
a 0
0 a
_
. Because this matrix is in G = GL(2, R), a = 0.
So we have
Z(G)
__
k 0
0 k
_

k = 0
_
and hence,
Z(G) =
__
k 0
0 k
_

k = 0
_
.
7