\documentclass{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{latexsym} \title{Group Theory: Math0038, Sheet 1} \author{GCS} \date{} \begin{document} \maketitle {\it The course web site is available via {\tt http://www.bath.ac.uk/$\sim$masgcs/}} \begin{enumerate} \item Let $G$ be a group. Suppose that $x \in G$. Let \[ C_G(x) = \{ g \in G \mid gx = xg \} \subseteq G.\] Prove that $C_G(x) \leq G$. \item Let $G$ be a group. Suppose that $S \subseteq G$. Let \[C_G(S) = \{ g \in G \mid gs = sg \forall s \in S\}.\] Prove that $C_G(S) \leq G$. \item Let $G$ be a group. Suppose that $S \subseteq G$. Let \[N_G(S) = \{ g \in G \mid gS = Sg \}\] where $gS = \{ gs \mid s \in S\}$ and $Sg = \{ sg \mid s \in S \}$. Prove that $C_G(S) \leq N_G(S) \leq G$. \item Let $G$ be a group. Suppose that $S \subseteq G$ and that $x \in N_G(S)$. Prove that $C_G(S)x = xC_G(S)$. \item Let $G$ be a finite group. Suppose that $\emptyset \not = H \subseteq G$ has the property that if $a,b \in H$, then $ab \in H$. Does it follow that $ H \leq G$? What happens if we relax the condition that $G$ is finite? \item Suppose that $G$ is a group and that $x \in G$. Prove that $(x^{-1})^{-1} = x$. \item Does there exist a group $G$ containing elements $a,b$ such that $a^2 = b^2 = (ab)^3 = 1$? \item Suppose that $G$ is a group with the property that $x^2 = 1$ whenever $x$ is an element of $G$. Show that $G$ must be abelian. \item (Challenge) Suppose that $G$ is a group with the property that $x^3 = 1$ whenever $x$ is an element of $G$. Show that $G$ need not be abelian. \end{enumerate} \vfill \end{document} \documentclass{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{latexsym} \title{Group Theory: Math0038, Sheet 1} \author{GCS} \date{} \begin{document} \maketitle {\it The course web site is available via {\tt http://www.bath.ac.uk/$\sim$masgcs/}} \begin{enumerate} \item Let $G$ be a group. Suppose that $x \in G$. Let \[ C_G(x) = \{ g \in G \mid gx = xg \} \subseteq G.\] Prove that $C_G(x) \leq G$. \item Let $G$ be a group. Suppose that $S \subseteq G$. Let \[C_G(S) = \{ g \in G \mid gs = sg \forall s \in S\}.\] Prove that $C_G(S) \leq G$. \item Let $G$ be a group. Suppose that $S \subseteq G$. Let \[N_G(S) = \{ g \in G \mid gS = Sg \}\] where $gS = \{ gs \mid s \in S\}$ and $Sg = \{ sg \mid s \in S \}$. Prove that $C_G(S) \leq N_G(S) \leq G$. \item Let $G$ be a group. Suppose that $S \subseteq G$ and that $x \in N_G(S)$. Prove that $C_G(S)x = xC_G(S)$. \item Let $G$ be a finite group. Suppose that $\emptyset \not = H \subseteq G$ has the property that if $a,b \in H$, then $ab \in H$. Does it follow that $ H \leq G$? What happens if we relax the condition that $G$ is finite? \item Suppose that $G$ is a group and that $x \in G$. Prove that $(x^{-1})^{-1} = x$. \item Does there exist a group $G$ containing elements $a,b$ such that $a^2 = b^2 = (ab)^3 = 1$? \item Suppose that $G$ is a group with the property that $x^2 = 1$ whenever $x$ is an element of $G$. Show that $G$ must be abelian. \item (Challenge) Suppose that $G$ is a group with the property that $x^3 = 1$ whenever $x$ is an element of $G$. Show that $G$ need not be abelian. \end{enumerate} \vfill \end{document} A A A A A