MT5824 Topics in Groups

MRQ and CMRD

September 10, 2010

Contents
Introduction

1 Revision
1.1 Basic axioms . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.2 Subgroups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.3 Cosets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.4 Orders of elements and Cyclic groups .
1.5 Normal subgroups and quotient groups
1.6 Homomorphisms . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.7 Isomorphism Theorems . . . . . . . .

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5
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2 Group Actions
2.1 Definition of an action . . .
2.2 Orbits . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.3 Stabilisers . . . . . . . . . .
2.4 Conjugation . . . . . . . . .
2.5 Conjugation on subgroups .
2.6 Permutation representations
2.7 p-Groups . . . . . . . . . .

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3 Cauchys Theorem and Sylows Theorem

36

4 The JordanH
older Theorem

44

5 Building Groups
51
5.1 Direct products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
5.2 Semidirect products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
6 Soluble Groups
6.1 Finite soluble groups . . . . . . . . . .
6.1.1 Minimal normal subgroups . .
6.1.2 Hall subgroups . . . . . . . . .
6.1.3 Sylow systems and Sylow bases

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64
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82

7 Nilpotent Groups

86

Introduction
The purpose of this course is to continue the study of groups beyond the
contents of the previous course, MT4003.
The goal of the course will be to introduce a variety of topics in more
advanced group theory. We shall particularly be interested in topics that
have some relation to the research of the group theorists at St Andrews.
The topics considered will be as follows:
Revision: Review of the basic concepts of subgroup, normal subgroup, quotient group and homomorphism. (Some new results will be proved
which will used later in the course.)
Group Actions: We will see how a group can induce permutations of a set,
and deduce structural properties of subgroups and homomorphisms.
Sylows Theorem: We review Sylows Theorem from the group action
viewpoint and illustrate some applications.
Composition series: We consider how a group can be decomposed into
essentially uniquely-determined simple groups. This illustrates one
example of a series for a group.
Group constructions: We discuss how groups may be constructed and
in particular some ways in which the above decomposition may be
reversed. We shall review the direct product construction and go on
to generalise it.
Soluble groups: We meet a particular class of groups that has a fairly
restricted structure. We shall prove Halls Theorem (a generalisation
of Sylows Theorem for soluble groups).
Nilpotent groups: We finish by discussing an even more restricted class
of groups, of which the typical example is the p-group.
Themes: There will be two main themes which we shall attempt to exploit
during the course.

(i) Group Actions: This involves thinking of the group as a subgroup

of the symmetric group. By looking at how the group permutes
{1, . . . , n} we can deduce information about the group.
(ii) Series: If a group G has a collection of subgroups
G = G0 > G1 > G2 > > Gn = 1
where Gi+1 is a normal subgroup of Gi for all i, then information
about the quotient groups Gi /Gi+1 (0 ! i ! n 1) yields information
about G.
Recommended Texts: The following textbooks are all recommended; I
particularly like the book by Rose.
John S. Rose, A Course on Group Theory (Dover Publications, New
York, 1994), 6.50, QA171.R7.
B. A. F. Wehrfritz, Finite Groups: A Second Course on Group Theory (World Scientific, Singapore, 1999), 18, not in library but Ive
requested that they buy a copy.
Derek J. S. Robinson, A Course in the Theory of Groups (Second
Edition), Graduate Texts in Mathematics 80 (SpringerVerlag, New
York, 1996), 52.50, QA171.R73.
Joseph J. Rotman, The theory of groups: an introduction (Allyn &
Bacon, 1965). QA171.R7.
M. I. Kargapolov & Ju. I. Merzljakov, Fundamentals of the Theory
of Groups, Graduate Texts in Mathematics 62 (SpringerVerlag, New
York, 1979). QA171.K28M4