Algebra Homework Set 3

Hung Tran.

4.1.7
a.If x,y ∈ GB then B = (x−1 x)(B) = x−1 (B), so x−1 ∈ GB .
xy(B) = x(B) = B then xy ∈ GB . Since GB is closed under inverse and product,
it is a subgroup of G.
x ∈ Ga then x(B) intersects B nontrivially, then x(B) = B since B is a block;
hence, x ∈ GB . QED
b. First we show that if σ1 (B) and σ2 (B) are two distinct images of B, then their
intersection is the empty set. Suppose not then there exists a = σ1 (b1 ) = σ2 (b2 )
with b1 , b2 ∈ B. Then σ2−1 σ1 (b1 ) = b2 ; consequently, since B is a block σ2−1 σ1 (B) =
B ⇒ σ1 (B) = σ2 (B), a contradiction.
Now since G is transitive, any element of the set is in some σi (B) so they form a
partition of A. QED
c. Suppose S4 is not primitive, then there exists a block B of size 2 or 3. Then
suppose x is a number not in the block and y is a number in the block. Consider
σ = (x, y) then σ(B) ∩ B = B − {y}, a contradiction.
Now if the square under the action of D8 is described as in example 4.1.3 then any
pair of opposite vertices (1,3) or (2,4) is a block by direct observation. QED
d. Suppose the transitive group is primitive and Ga is not a maximal group for
some a, then there exists Ga < G1 < G. Let B = {ga, g ∈ G1 } then we claim B is
a block. For any h in G we have:
hg1 a = g2 a ⇔ g2−1 hg1 ∈ Ga ⇔ h ∈ G1 .
So if h ∈ G1 , hB = B and if h ∈ / G1 , hB ∩ B = 0, therefore, B is a block. B is also
not the whole set A since if g ∈ / G1 g(a) is an element of A not in B. The absurdity
implies that Ga must be a maximal subgroup of G.
On the other hand suppose Ga is a maximal subgroup of G for any a in A. Then
suppose A has a proper nontrivial block B then by part (a), GB = Ga (it can not
be the whole group since the action is transitive and there is some element outside
B). Since G is transitive, given two distinct elements a and b in B, there exists h
in G such that ha = b. h is certainly not in GB since all all action fixes the point
a. But b ∈ (h(B) ∩ B) so h(B) = B since B is a block, a contradiction. So G is
primitive. QED

4.1.9
a. We have g(ha) = ghg −1 (ga) = h1 (ga) since H is normal; so ga ∼H g(ha) for any
g in G. So gΘi ⊂ Θj for some i,j. (1)
Since H acts on each orbit transitively, any element of Θj can be expressed as
hga for some h in G. But hg(a) = gg −1 hg(a) = gh1 (a) since H is normal. Then
Θj ⊂ gΘi (2)
(1) and (2) imply gΘi = Θj . So G permutes the set Θ1 , ...Θr . But G is also tran-
sitive on A, G also acts transitively on a partition of A. Since each action of g on
A is a permutation, |Θi | = |gΘi | = |Θj |. QED
|H| |H|
b. We have |Θ1 | = |H a|
= |H∩G a
since Ha = H ∩ Ga .
|HGa | |H|
By the 2nd Isomorphism theorem, |Ga | = |H∩Ga | = |Θ1 | = Since |Θi | = |gΘi | =
|A| |G|
|Θj |, r = |Θ1 | and since G is transitive, it has only one orbit A itself, |A| = |Ga |
1
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then:
|G|
r = |HG a|
= |G : HGa | QED

4.5.38.
Let P ∈ Sylp (G) acts on Sylp (G) by conjugation and Θ1 , ...Θr be the orbits with
Θ1 = P and, hence, |Θ1 | = 1. If p2 divides P ∩R for all Sylow p-subgroups R differ-
ent from P then each i > 1, |Θi | = |P : NP (R)| = |P : (P ∩ NG (R))| = |P : (P ∩ R)|
(by Lemma 4.5.19) has size divisible by p2 . Since np is the sum of lengths of orbits,
np = kp2 + 1, a contradiction. Thus, for some R ∈ Sylp (G),|P ∩ R| = P . QED

4.5.50
U = W z for some normal subsets in P a Sylow p-subgroup of G. First we claim that
for any t in P, tz normalizes U. Indeed, ztz −1 U zt−1 z −1 = ztW t−1 z −1 = zW z −1 =
U.
Therefore, P and P z are in NG (U ) as all elements normalize U. NG (U ) ≤ G then
P and P z are Sylow p-subgroup of NG (U ). By the Sylow theorem applied for
that group, P is a conjugate of P z in NG (U ) or there exists x ∈ NG (U ) such that
P = (P z )x = P xz so xz ∈ NG (P ). However,
W xz = xzW z −1 x−1 = U x = U since x ∈ NG (U ) .
That is, W and U are conjugate in NG (P ). Two elements in Z(P) are certainly two
normal subsets of P. The statement follows immediately. QED

6.2.13
By 6.1.4, R = P ∩ Q, R < NP (R) ≤ NG (P ) and R < NQ (R) < NG (R). Since R is
maximal, NP (R) and NQ (R) are distinct p-subgroups. Now suppose that NG (R)
has only one Sylow subgroup than it must contains both NP (R) and NQ (R) by the
Sylow theorem applied for this group. Now by applying Sylow theorem again for G,
that Sylow p-subgroup of NQ (R) is contained in some Sylow p-subgroup of G and
its intersection with P, Q contains NP (R) > R and NQ (R) > R. Since at least one
intersection is between two distinct Sylow subgroups, that leads to a contradiction
to the maximality of R. So NG (R) contains at least 2 distinct Sylow p-subgroups.
We claim that if S is a Sylow p-subgroup of G then S contains R. Suppose not, then
RS is a p-subgroup of NG (R) (since R is normal in NG (R) and the 2nd Isomorphism
theorem) and RS properly contains S, a contradiction to the fact that S is the
p-subgroup with highest order in NG (R). So the intersection of any two Sylow
p-subgroups in NG (R) contains R. Suppose some intersection of S1 and S2 properly
contains R then by Sylow theorem for G, there exist P1 and P2 in Sylp (G) that
contain S1 and S2 respectively. Then its intersection in G properly contains R, so
P1 = P2 = P . P ∩ NG (R) = NP (R) a p-group leading to S1 = S2 . So the result
follows. QED//
Additional Problems
1. Q
For an arbitrary set S, let s∈S As be the product Q of sets each As is a G-set
equipped with the canonical projection
Q maps
Q π s ( s∈S as ) = as .
Define the action as g(a) = g( s∈S as ) = s∈S g(as ).
Universal mapping property: For any B a G-set,
Q if there are G-maps φs : B ⇒ As ,
then there exists a unique G-map φ : B ⇒ s∈S As such that πs φ = φs .
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Q
Proof: We have φ = s∈S φ1s , then clearly φ1s (b) = φs (b). So φ is uniquely deter-
mined. It is a G-map since`each component is a G-map. QED
For an arbitrary set S, let s∈S As be the disjoint union of sets each As is a G-set
equipped with the canonical inclusion maps ιs (as ) = as .
Define the action as g(as ) = g(as ).
Universal mapping property: For any ` B a G-set, if there are G-maps φs : As ⇒ B,
then there exists a unique G-map φ : s∈S As ⇒ B such that φιs = φs =.
Proof: Obviously, φ(as ) = φs (as ) so it is uniquely determined. QED

3.
First, we can consider the action of H × K on G by (h, k)g = hgk. Then HgK rep-
resents one orbit of the action, then the set of double cosets are mutually disjoint
and forms a partition of G.
we’ll show that the map is well-defined. If (xH, yK) ∼G (zH, tK) then there exists
g in G such that gxH = zH and gyK = tK, or z −1 gx ∈ H and t−1 gy ∈ K.
Then Hz −1 tK = H(z −1 gx)x−1 y(y −1 g −1 t)K = Hx−1 yK (since (z −1 gx) ∈ H and
(y −1 g −1 t ∈ K.
The map is certainly surjective, so it remains to proves it is injective. Since G
acts transitively on G/H and G/K, any orbit must contain an element of the form
(H,yK). Suppose [(H, yK)] and [H, zK] are two different orbits, then we need to
show HyK and HzK are two different double cosets. Suppose not, then HyK=HzK
then there exists h ∈ H and k ∈ K such that hyk = z. Now (hH, hyK) =
(H, hyK) ∈ [(H, yK)]. And (H, zK) = (H, hykK) = (H, hyK) since k ∈ K. So
(H, zK) ∈ [(H, yK)] or [(H, yK)] = [H, zK], a contradition. So HyK and HzK are
two different double cosets. So the map is injective, implying a bijection between
orbits and set of double cosets. QED

4. Qn−1
We claim that GLn (Fp ) = i=0 (pn − pi ).
Since each matrix is invertible, columns of the matrix give a basis of V = Fpn .
Conversely, if v1 , ...vn is a basis of V then there is an invertible matrix with these
vectors as columns. Thus we need to count the bases of V. v1 can be any non-zero
vector, vi+1 any vector in V, not a linear combination of v1 , ...vi . Thus there are
pn − 1 choices for v1 and since there are pi linear combinations of v1 , ...vi , there are
pn − pi choices for vi+1 . Together we have:
Qn−1
GLn (Fp ) = i=0 (pn − pi ).
So a Sylow p-subgroup of GLn (Fp ) has order of pn(n−1)/2 .
Consider M, the set of n × n upper triangular matrices over Fp with the diagonal
entries are all 1. We claim M is a subgroup of GLn (Fp ). Certainly, M is a subset
since each determinant is 1 and M is closed under matrix multiplication. So it
remains to show that M is closed under taking the inverse. Let (Aij ) ∈ M then
by Cramer’s rule: (A−1 )ij = (−1)i+j detMji . If j < i then observe that Mji is an
upper triangular matrix with at least 1 zero on the diagonal (at the intersection
of the j-row and j-column). Thus, (A−1 )ij = 0 if j < i. Furthermore, if j = i
then,(A−1 )jj = 1 since Mjj is an upper triangular matrix with all diagonal entries
equal 1. So A−1 ∈ M and M is closed under taking inverse. So M is actually a
subgroup of GLn (Fp ).
Since each entries in the upper half of a matrix in M has total freedom,i.e., there
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are p choices for each. Consequently |M | = pn(n−1)/2 , so M is actually a Sylow

p-subgroup of GLn (Fp ).QED
b. Take any basis for V. Then the linear action of each g in G is actually a linear
transformation. Since the action is invertible by g −1 , the transformation is invert-
ible. So each g is represented by a n × n invertible matrix over Fp with respect to
the given basis or G can be identified with a subgroup of GLn (Fp ). For convinience,
we also call this subgroup G. Since G is a p-group, by Sylow’s theorem it is con-
tained in some Sylow p-group of GLn (Fp ), which is also a conjugate of the Sylow
p-subgroup M constructed in part (a). So there is a matrix B in GLn (Fp ) such that
the conjugation of G by B yields a subgroup of M. But a conjugation of G by B
is just a change of basis for the representation of the linear transformations. So it
means we can change the basis so that every element of G has an upper triangular
matrix representation with respect to that basis. QED

5. Let f be a G-map from X to Y. WLOG we can assume the map is surjective,

otherwise consider the image of X in Y. Since G acts on X transitively, G also acts
on Y transitively. Suppose f (x1 ) = f (x2 ) then Gf (x1 ) contains two distinct sub-
groups Gx1 and Gx1 . Since each Gxi is maximal by problem 4.1.7,Gf (x1 ) = G or Y
is contains just 1 point. So if X is primitive then f is either constant or injective
Suppose any G-map from X to another G-set is either constant or injective, then
suppose X is not primitive. So X has some nontrivial and proper block B and also
by 4.1.7, σ1 (B), ...σr (B) forms a partition of X. Consider the set of orbits and the
inclusion map ι from x in X to its orbit.
gι(x) = g(σi (B)) = ι(gx) by 4.1.7 so ι is a G-map but it is not injective (B contains
more than 1 element) or trivial (B is proper subset of A). That leads to a contra-
diction. So X must be primitive. QED

2.
a. For a G-set Y, let YH = {y ∈ Y, H ≤ Gy }. Then HomG (G/H, Y ) ∼ = Homset (∗, YH )
with the functor maps f to the singleton function l(∗) = f (H)
Proof:
If f ∈ HomG (G/H, Y ) then for any h in H, hf (H) = f (hH) = f (H) so f (H) ∈ YH .
Furthermore, for any g in G, f (gH) = g(f (H)) so the function is totally determined
once f (H) ∈ YH is given. So the functor (bijection) is established.
b. Claim: There exists a G-map G/H to G/K iff H = K1g for some g in G and
K1 ≤ K. In that case any G-map f has the form: f (aH) = a(gK) for every a in G,
where H = K1g for some g
Proof:
We just need to calculate (G/K)H . HgK = gK ⇔ g −1 Hg ≤ K ⇔ H = K1g
for K1 ≤ K. The second part of the statement follows directly as an element of
(G/K)H is of the form gK as shown above. QED

6.
G can acts by itself by left translation. G is a transitive subgroup of SX it acts
transitively on X by the permutation action. So it is clear (shown in class) that
the map σ : X 7→ G/Gx by σ(x) = Gx and σ(gx) = gGx is G-isomorphic. That
establishes an 1-1 correspondence between X and G/Gx .
Similarly there is 1-1 correspondence between X and H/Hy by a map δ : X 7→
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H/Hy , by δ(y) = Gy and δ(hy) = hGy .

Furthermore, the isomorphic map φ : G 7→ H such that φ(Gx ) = Gy induces a
bijection φ1 : G/Gx 7→ H/Hy . So there is a permutation of X (element in SX ) by
γ(z) = δ −1 φ1 σ(z)
Define a map φ∗ : SX 7→ SX by if λ ∈ SX then:
φ∗ (λ) = γλγ −1
Clearly it is an inner automorphism of SX since it is just a conjugation. It remains
to show φ∗ |G = φ. If g in G and z in X then:
γgγ −1 (z) = δ −1 φ1 σgσ −1 φ−1
1 δ(hy) = δ
−1
φ1 σgσ −1 φ−1
1 (hHy ) = δ
−1
φ1 σgσ −1 (g1 Gx ) =
−1 −1 −1
δ φ1 σ(gg1 (x)) = δ φ1 (gg1 Gx ) = δ (φ(g)hHy ) = φ(g)(hy) = φ(g)(z) (see the
diagram)
So φ∗ (g) = φ(g). QED