MAT301 ASSIGNMENT 4 SOLUTIONS

DUE DATE: TUESDAY, JULY 10, 2018, AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR TUTORIAL

Remark: 5 of the following questions will be marked, but you must do all of them. Each question that
is marked is out of 5 for a total of 25 marks.
Do the following questions from your book: 5.3, 5.6, 5.8, 5.10, 5.11, 5.16, 5.18, 5.19, 5.20, 5.21
Question 5.6 Solution. Both parts are false. Define φ : S3 → Z via φ(α) = 0 for all α ∈ S3 . Then φ is a
homomorphism. Moreover, Z is cyclic (and thus Abelian). However, S3 is not Abelain (and thus not cyclic).
Question 5.11 Solution. Since φ(e) = ψ(e), we have e ∈ H. Given g, h ∈ H, then
φ(gh−1 ) = φ(g)φ(h−1 ) = φ(g)(φ(h))−1 = ψ(g)(ψ(h))−1 = ψ(g)ψ(h−1 ) = ψ(gh−1 ).
That is, gh−1 ∈ H. Hence, H  G.
Question 5.18 Solution. For any g, y ∈ G and x ∈ Z(G), φxg (y) = (xg)y(xg)−1 = xgyg −1 x−1 = gyg −1 xx−1 = φg (y).
Question 5.19 Solution. If Tg (x) = Tg (y), then gx = gy, and multiplying both sides on the right by g −1 , we get
x = y. Hence, Tg is one-to-one. Given y ∈ G, then g −1 y ∈ G and Tg (g −1 y) = g(g −1 y) = y, so Tg is onto. It follows
that Tg is a permutation (i.e., a bijection).
Question 5.21 Solution. Let H = {a2 : a ∈ Q>0 }. You can check that H  Q>0 . Notice that 2 ∈ Q>0 but 2 ∈ /H
(as 2 6= a2 for any a ∈ Q>0 ). It follows that H is a proper subgroup of Q>0 . Define φ : Q>0 → H via x 7→ x2 . By
construction φ is onto. Moreover, if φ(x) = 1, then, x2 = 1, which implies that x = 1. Hence, ker φ is trivial, and
thus φ is one-to-one. Given a, b ∈ Q>0 , φ(ab) = (ab)2 = a2 b2 = φ(a)φ(b). In particular, φ is an isomorphism. Hence,
Q>0 ∼= H.