Section Check In – Extra Pure: Groups

Questions
1. * The following composition table is for a group G with five elements p, q, r, s and t.

G p q r s t
p t p
q r s
r
s q p
t

Complete this group table.

2. * G is the set {2, 4, 6, 8}, H is the set {1, 5, 7, 11} and n denotes the operation of multiplication
modulo n.

(i) Construct the multiplication tables for (G, 10) and (H, 12).

(ii) By verifying the four group axioms, show that G and H are groups under their respective
binary operations, and determine whether G and H are isomorphic.
[You may assume that n is associative.]
[9795-01 (Pre-U Further Maths) November 2013 Q6]

3. * The functions e, f, g and h are defined for real values of x (x  1) by

x−2
e(x) = x, f(x) = 2 – x, g(x) = x −1 , h(x) = fg(x).
Construct the composition table for {e, f, g, h} under the operation of composition of functions and
show that it forms a group. [You may assume that composition of functions is associative.]
[9850-01 (UODLE A-level Mathematics) 1989 Q18]
reworded

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4.* Let S be the set of all 2  2 matrices of the form
( )
1 0
n 1 , where n is an integer.
(i) Show that S, under the operation of matrix multiplication, forms a group G.

(ii) Decide whether G is isomorphic to the group of integers under addition.

5. * The set A = {1, 3, 5, 7, 9} and the binary operation  is defined on A by

x  y = (x + y + k )(mod 10) for some single-digit positive integer k.

(i) If (A, ) is to form a group, explain why k cannot be even.

(ii) Given that (A, ) forms a group G with identity element 7, determine the value of k

(iii) Construct the composition table for G and state the inverses of each non-identity element.

(iv) Is G a cyclic group? Is G an abelian group? Justify your claims.

6.* The set S consists of all real numbers except 1. The binary operation * is defined for all a, b in S by
a * b = a + b – ab.

(i) By considering the identity a + b – ab  1 – (a – 1)(b – 1), or otherwise, show that S is

closed under *.

(ii) Show that * is associative on S.

(iii) Find the identity of S under *, and the inverse of x for all x in S.

(iv) The set S, together with *, forms a group G. Find a subgroup of G of order 2.
[9795-01 (Pre-U Further Maths) 2009 Q7]

7. * The binary operation  is defined on the set ℝ of real numbers by x  y = axy + bx + cy + d

for x, y  ℝ and a, b, c, d  ℝ, a  0. Find necessary and sufficient conditions for  to be
associative on ℝ.

Version 1 2 © OCR 2019

8. * (i) Explain why all groups of even order must contain at least one self-inverse element (that is,
an element of order 2).

(ii) Prove that any group in which every (non-identity) element is self-inverse is abelian.

(iii) A group G has order 4n + 2, for some positive integer n, and i is the identity element of G.
Let x and y be two distinct self-inverse elements of G.

By considering the set H = {i, x, y, xy}, prove by contradiction that G cannot consist entirely
of self-inverse elements.
[9795-01 (Pre-U Further Maths) 2014 Q9]
part

1
+i √23
9. * (i) Show that  = 2 is a root of the equation x6 – 1 = 0.

(ii) Show that each of the six roots can be written as a power of  and deduce that the roots of
the equation x6 – 1 = 0 under multiplication can be modelled by a group of order 6.

(iii) List all the subgroups of this group

10.* The composition table for a group G of order 8 is given below.

a b c d e f g h

a c e b f a h d g
b e c a g b d h f
c b a e h c g f d
d f g h a d c e b
e a b c d e f g h
f h d g c f b a e
g d h f e g a b c
h g f d b h e c a

(i) State which is the identity element, and give the inverse of each element of G.

(ii) Show that G is cyclic.

(iii) Specify an isomorphism between G and the group H consisting of {0, 2, 4, 6, 8,10, 12, 14}
under addition modulo 16.

(iv) Show that G is not isomorphic to the group of symmetries of a square.

[4757-01 (OCR(MEI) FP3 2013 Q4, edited]]

Version 1 3 © OCR 2019

Extension

A group G consists of the eight transformations of the square ABCD defined as follows: I, J, K and L
are anticlockwise rotations about the centre O through angles 0o, 90o, 180o and 270o respectively; and
P, Q, R and S are reflections in the fixed lines p, q, r and s respectively.

(i) Find all the subgroups of G which contain exactly two elements.

(ii) Find all the subgroups of G which contain exactly four elements.

(iii) Show that any subgroup which contains both P and J must contain all 8 elements.
[9850-01 (UODLE A-level Mathematics) 1980 Q17, modified]

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Worked solutions
1. Firstly, note that so r must be the identity; so we can complete row 3 and column 3 of the
table.

G p q r s t
p t p
q r s q
r p q r s t
s q s p
t t

Next, looking at tells us that q is the inverse of p so

:
G p q r s t
p t r p
q r s q
r p q r s t
s q s p
t t

Now the first column is almost complete. cannot be the same as any of the other values in the
column as this would lead to a contradiction.
e.g. suppose

So

G p q r s t
p t r p
q r s q
r p q r s t
s q s p
t s t

Using the same principle, that each value in a row or column must be different, the second column
can be completed

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 G p q r s t
p t r p
q r s q
r p q r s t
s q t s p
t s p t

Now the table can be completed.

G p q r s t
p t r p q s
q r s q t p
r p q r s t
s q t s p r
t s p t r q

2. (i) G H
2 4 6 8 1 5 7 11
2 4 8 2 6 1 1 5 7 11
4 8 6 4 2 5 5 1 11 7
6 2 4 6 8 7 7 11 1 5
8 6 2 8 4 11 11 7 5 1

(ii) Closed (since no new elements appear in either table).

10 and 12 associative (given/assumed)
The identities are 6 and 1, respectively.
In G, 4 is self-inverse; (2, 8) an inverse-pair. In H, all (non-identity) elements are self-inverse.

G is cyclic (generator 2 or 8) while H has each (non-identity) element self-inverse.

Hence H is not isomorphic to G.
Alt. Compare orders of elements: G{1, 4, 2, 4} and H{1, 2, 2, 2}, leading to the same
conclusion.
[9795-01 (Pre-U Further Maths) November 2013 Q6]

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 x−2
3. e(x) = x (which means e(x) is the identity element), f(x) = 2 – x, g(x) = x −1 .
x−2 2 x−2−x+2 x 2−x−2 −x
= =
h(x) = fg(x) = 2 – x −1 = x−1 x−1 and gf(x) = 2−x−1 1−x = h(x).
x 2 x−2−x 2−x 2−x
2− = =
fh(x) = x−1 x−1 = g(x) and hf(x) = 2−x−1 1−x = g(x) .
x x−2
−2
x−1 x−2 x +2 x−1 x−2 x −2
= =2−x = =
x x −x+1 x−2 x−2−x +1 −1
−1 −1
gh(x) = x−1 = f(x) and hg(x) = x−1
= f(x)

e f
g h
e e f g h
Finally, ff(x) = gg(x) = hh(x) = e(x) and the Cayley table looks like:
This is an example of the Klein-4 group, in which each non-identity
f f e h g
element is self-inverse (and e is the identity element). Closure is g g h e f
obvious from the lack of other elements within the table. h h g f e
[9850-01 (UODLE A-level Mathematics) 1989 Q18]

4. (i)
(1x 01 )( 1y 01 )=( x+1 y 01 )  S (since x + y is an integer). Hence S is closed.

( ) ( )
−1

The identity matrix

(10 01 ) 1 0
 S (since 0 is an integer) and n 1
=
1 0
−n 1 S
so every element has an inverse in S. Associativity under matrix multiplication is known to hold.
We thus have a group, G.

(ii) G is isomorphic to the group of integers under addition, by the simple mapping f given by

f:
(1n 01 )  n.

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5. (i) If k is even then x + y + k is odd + odd + even = even and x  y  A so the principle of
‘closure’ does not hold and (A, ) does not form a group.

(ii) e.g. 1  7 = (1 + 7 + k)(mod 10) = 1 (mod 10)  k = 3.

(iii) (1, 3) and (5, 9) are inverse-pairs

G 1 3 5 7 9
1 5 7 9 1 3
3 7 9 1 3 5
5 9 1 3 5 7
7 1 3 5 7 9
9 3 5 7 9 1

(iv) Since G has prime order ( | G | = 5) it is a cyclic group.

Also, all cyclic groups are abelian, so G is abelian. (Or observe that the group table of G is
symmetric about its main diagonal.)

6. (i) a * b = 1  (a – 1)(b – 1) = 0  a or b (or both) = 1. Thus, since 1 is never an input, it can

never be an output, and hence S is closed under *.
(ii) (a * b) * c = (a + b – ab) * c = a + b + c – (ab + bc + ca) + abc.
and a * (b * c) = a * (b + c – bc) = a + b + c – (ab + bc + ca) + abc.
Since (a * b) * c = a * (b * c) for all a, b, c in S, * is associative on S.
(iii) e * x = x * e = e + x – ex = x  e = 0 is the identity.
x
y * x = e  y + x – yx = 0  y = x−1 is the inverse of x ; and which exists in S since x  1.
(iv) For a subgroup of order 2, we must have the identity and one self-inverse element x.
x
Now x = x−1  x = 2 so subgroup is {0, 2}. Alt. via x * x = 0  2x – x2 = 0 etc.
[9795-01 (Pre-U Further Maths) 2009 Q7]

7. (x  y)  z = (axy + bx + cy + d)  z
= a(axy + bx + cy + d)z + b(axy + bx + cy + d) + cz + d
= a2xyz + abxy + abxz + acyz + b2x + bcy + (ad + c)z + (b + 1)d
while
x  (y  z) = x  (ayz + by + cz + d)
= ax(ayz + by + cz + d) + bx + c(ayz + by + cz + d) + d
= a2xyz + abxy + acxz + acyz + (ad + b)x + bcy + c2z + (c + 1)d
Removing common terms, we require
abxz + b2x + (ad + c)z + (b + 1)d  acxz + (ad + b)x + c2z + (c + 1)d;
that is, b = c along with b2 = ad + b or ad = b(b – 1).

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8. (i) All non-identity elements pair up with their inverses. If | G | = 2k, then there are 2k – 1
elements to pair up  at least one element “pairs up” with itself.

(ii) ab = (ab) – 1 = b – 1 a – 1 = ba.

Alt. (ab)2 = i  abab = i  aba = b (post-multiplying by b = b – 1)
 ab = ba (post-multiplying by a = a – 1)

(iii) Suppose G does consist entirely of self-inverse elements

H is closed since x(yx) = x(xy) = x2y = y and y(xy) = y(yx) = y2x = x using the result of (ii).
[Associativity follows from that of G]
The identity is in H and each element has its own inverse (itself) in H.
Hence H is a subgroup of G.

However, Lagrange’s Theorem states that o(H) | o(G) and 4 | 4n + 2, contradicting the
assumption that G can consist entirely of self-inverse elements.
[9795-01 (Pre-U Further Maths) 2014 Q9]
part

9. (i) Factorise x6 – 1  (x3 – 1)(x3 + 1)  (x – 1)(x2 + x + 1)(x + 1)(x2 – x + 1), using the factorisations
for the ‘difference of two squares’ and then the ‘difference & sum of two cubes’.
±¿ i √2
1 3
¿
The quadratic x2 – x + 1 = 0 has roots x = 2 , one of which is .

+2 i . 2 . √2 − 12 +¿ i √23 ¿
1 1 3 3
+(−1 ) . 4
(ii) Then  =
2 4 = , which satisfies x2 + x + 1 = 0;
 =  .  = –1 by the ‘difference of two squares’;
3 2

− 12 −i √23
 =. =
4 3
, also satisfying x2 + x + 1 = 0;
−¿ i √2
1 3
¿
5 = 3 . 2 = 2 , the second root of x2 – x + 1 = 0 to ;
and  6 = ( 3)2 = 1.

Hence the six roots of x6 – 1 = 0 form a cyclic group of order 6, with generator  (or  5).
Closure follows from the fact that all elements are powers of  , with  6 = 1; Associativity
follows from that of multiplication (of complex numbers); the Identity is 1; and (  ,  5) and
(2,  4) are inverse-pairs, with  3 self-inverse.

(iii) The subgroups of this group are:

{1}, the identity subgroup, corresponding to the equation x – 1 = 0;
{1,  3}, corresponding to x2 – 1 = 0;
{1, 2,  4}, corresponding to x3 – 1 = 0;
and, trivially, the whole group, corresponding to x6 – 1 = 0.

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 10. (i) Identity is e.

element a b c d e f g h
inverse b a c g e h d f

(ii) d, f, g or h is a generator. Shown by finding powers of the element and showing that it is of order
8.

(iii)
H 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
G e d a f c h b g
o e f b d c g a h
r
o e g b h c f a d
r
o e h a g c d b f
r

(iv) Rotations have order 2 or 5. Reflections have order 2. There is no element of order 8 so not
isomorphic.

[4757-01 (OCR(MEI) FP3 2013 Q4, edited]

Extension

(i) Subgroups of order two must contain the identity, I, along with one self-inverse element.
The corresponding transformations are the reflections, along with the rotation through half a
full-turn. This gives the five subgroups {I¸ K}, {I¸ P}, {I¸ Q}, {I¸ R} and {I¸ S}.

(ii) Subgroups of order four must contain the identity, I, along with either
one self-inverse element and two elements of order 4 (which are an inverse-pair), each of
which acts as a generator of a cyclic group; or
three self-inverse elements (i.e. isomorphic to the Klein-4 group) – call them a, b and c – for
which ab = ba = c etc.
In the first case, the corresponding generating transformations are the rotations through a quarter
turn (cw or acw), yielding the subgroup {I, J, K, L}. In the second case, we see that K plays a
key part of the required process, acting on either (P and Q) or (R and S) in the required manner.
Thus, the remaining two subgroups of order 4 are {I, K, P, Q} and {I, K, R, S}.

(iii) Let H be a subgroup of G that contains both P and J.

Then PJ = R  H and JP = S  H, meaning that, so far, we have I, P, J, PJ and JP in H.

We could just go ahead and show that each element is in H by using powers of single elements
or ‘products’ of pairs of elements already known to be in H. However, there is a sweeter line of
reasoning to be used here should we wish to deploy it:
Thus far, we know that | H |  5 and Lagrange’s Theorem tells us that | H | must divide into
| G | = 8. The only integer greater than 4 that divides into 8 is 8 itself, of course, and it
follows that | H | = 8 … that is, H = G.
[9850-01 (UODLE A-level Mathematics) 1980 Q17 modified]
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