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Modern Algebra I
Modern Algebra I
(a) D6
(b) D8
(c) D10
Solution. The rotation r rotates the n-gon by 2π/n . For a triangle with vertices a, b, and c, it sends
a to b , b to c and c to a in the picture on the board.
The rotation r2 is rotating by 2π/n. Of course rotating three times, you end up rotating 6π/3 =
2π, which fixes the triangle. So r3 = 1. Let s be the simple reflection, which fixes one vertex and
swaps the other 2. Then s2 = 1.
D6 = {r, r2 , r3 = 1 = s2 , s, sr = r2 s, rs = sr2 }
to show that if x is any element of D2n which is not a power of r, then rx = xr−1 .
Solution. Suppose that x has the form x = sra for some positive integer a. Then we calculate the
following
Problem 3. Use the presentation of D2n given in Problem 2 to show that every element of D2n
which is not a power of r has order 2. Deduce that D2n is generated by the two elements s and sr,
both of which have order 2.
Problem 4. Let G be the group of rigid motions in R3 of a tetrahedron. Show that |G| = 12. (Feel
free to construct a tetrahedron.)