Cosets

Definition: Let H be any subgroup of G, then

For any 𝑎 ∈ 𝐺, the set 𝑎 ∗ 𝐻 defined by 𝒂 ∗ 𝑯 = {𝒂 ∗ 𝒉 ∶ 𝒉 ∈ 𝑯} is called the
Left coset of 𝐻 in 𝐺 determined by the element 𝑎 ∈ 𝐺.

For any 𝑎 ∈ 𝐺, the set 𝐻 ∗ 𝑎 defined by 𝑯 ∗ 𝒂 = { 𝒉 ∗ 𝒂 ∶ 𝒉 ∈ 𝑯} is called the

Right coset of 𝐻 in 𝐺 determined by the element 𝑎 ∈ 𝐺.
The element 𝑎 ∈ 𝐺 is called the representative element of the left coset 𝑎 ∗ 𝐻 and
right coset 𝐻 ∗ 𝑎
Example.1
Let 𝐺 = { 1, 𝑎, 𝑎2 , 𝑎3 } be a group, 𝑂(𝑎) = 4 and H ={1, 𝑎2 } is a subgroup of 𝐺 under
multiplication. Find all the cosets of H.
Solution:
Let us find the right cosets of 𝐻 in 𝐺.
𝐻1 = { 1, 𝑎2 } = 𝐻
𝐻𝑎 = {𝑎, 𝑎3 },
𝐻𝑎2 = {𝑎2 , 𝑎4 } = {𝑎2 , 1} = 𝐻
𝐻𝑎3 = {𝑎3 , 𝑎5 } = {𝑎3 , 𝑎} = 𝐻𝑎
𝐻. 1 = 𝐻 = 𝐻𝑎2 = 1, 𝑎2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐻𝑎 = 𝐻𝑎3 = {𝑎, 𝑎3 }
are two distinct right cosets of 𝐻 in 𝐺. Similarly we can find the left cosets of 𝐻 in 𝐺.
Example: Let G be additive group of integers i.e.
𝐆 = … . . , −𝟑, −𝟐, −𝟏, 𝟎, 𝟏, 𝟐, 𝟑, … .
Let 𝐻 be a subgroup of G obtained on multiplying each element of 𝐺 by 3.
Then
𝐻 = {… . . , −9, −6, −3,0,3,6,9, … . }
Right cosets of 𝐻 in 𝐺 can be formed as:
0 ∈ 𝐺, therefore
𝑯 + 𝟎 ={… . . , −9, −6, −3,0,3,6,9, … .} = 𝐻.
1 ∈G,
𝑯 + 𝟏={… . . , −8, −5, −2,1,4,7,10, … .}
2 ∈G,
𝑯 + 𝟐 ={… . . , −7, −4, −1,2,5,8,11, … .}

3∈𝐺
𝑯 + 𝟑 = … , −6, −3,0 , 3, 6, 9, … = 𝐻
The right cosets 𝐻, 𝐻 + 1, 𝐻 + 2 are all distinct and disjoint i.e. have no element
common.
Again 4 ∈ 𝐺 and 𝐻 + 4 = 𝐻 + 1.
Similarly, the right coset 𝐻 + 5 coincides with 𝐻 + 2, 𝐻 + 6 with 𝐻.
We get only three distinct right cosets i.e. 𝐻, 𝐻 + 1, 𝐻 + 2.
𝐺 = 𝐻 ꓴ (𝐻 + 1)ꓴ (𝐻 + 2)
Lagrange’s theorem
The order of each subgroup of a finite group is a divisor of the order of the
group.
Proof:
Let (𝐺,∗) be finite group and 𝑂(𝐺) = 𝑛. Let (𝐻,∗) be a subgroup of (𝐺,∗) and
𝑂(𝐻) = 𝑚
Suppose that ℎ1 , ℎ2 , ℎ3 , … … , ℎ𝑚 are the 𝑚 members of 𝐻. For 𝑎 ∈ 𝐺, the right
coset 𝐻𝑎 of 𝐻 in 𝐺 is defined by

𝐻𝑎 = {ℎ1 ∗ 𝑎, ℎ2 ∗ 𝑎, ℎ3 ∗ 𝑎, … … . , ℎ𝑚 ∗ 𝑎}
Since there should be a one-to-one correspondence between 𝐻 and 𝐻𝑎, then
members of 𝐻𝑎 are distinct.
Hence each right coset of 𝐻 in 𝐺 has 𝑚 distinct members.
We know that any right cosets of H in 𝐺 are either disjoint or identical.
Since 𝐺 is a finite group, the number of distinct right cosets of 𝐻 in 𝐺 will be
finite, The union of these 𝑘 distinct right cosets of 𝐻 in 𝐺 is equal to 𝐺.

Hence, if 𝐻𝑎1 , 𝐻𝑎2 , 𝐻𝑎3 , … , 𝐻𝑎𝑘 are the 𝑘 distinct right cosets of 𝐻 in 𝐺,

then

𝐺 = 𝐻𝑎1 ∪ 𝐻𝑎2 ∪ 𝐻𝑎3 ∪ ⋯ ∪ 𝐻𝑎𝑘

𝑂(𝐺) = 𝑂(𝐻𝑎1 ) + 𝑂(𝐻𝑎2 ) + 𝑂(𝐻𝑎3 ) + … … … 𝑂(𝐻𝑎𝑘 )
 𝑛 = 𝑚 + 𝑚 + 𝑚 + ⋯ … . + 𝑚(𝑘 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠)
𝑛 = 𝑘𝑚 ⇒ 𝑛/𝑚 = 𝑘 ⇒ 𝑚 is a divisor of 𝑛
⇒ 𝑂(𝐻) is divisor of 𝑂(𝐺)
⇒ 𝑂(𝐻) divides 𝑂(𝐺).
Hence proof.

Note: The converse of the Lagrange theorem is not true. That is, if 𝑚 is a divisor
of 𝑛, then it is not necessary that G must have a subgroup of order m. For
example, the alternating group 𝐴4 of degree 4 is of order 12. But there is no
subgroup of 𝐴4 of order 6, though 6 is a divisor of 12
Properties of Cosets:
1. If H is a subgroup of group G and 𝑎, ℎ ∈ ℎ, then
𝒂 ∈ 𝑯 ⟺ 𝒂𝑯 = 𝑯