MAT 500 Practice group theory problems

(Not collected.)
(1) Let G be a group with |G| = 4. Prove that G is abelian.

(2) Let A, B be subgroups of a group G. Prove or give a counterexample:

(a) A ∩ B is a subgroup of G.
(b) A ∪ B is a subgroup of G.

(3) Let G be a finite abelian group and a, b ∈ G. Let n = |a| and m = |b|,
and suppose gcd(n, m) = 1. Prove that |ab| = nm. Does the conclu-
sion still hold if G is nonabelian? Prove or give a counterexample.

(4) Let G be a group and let a, b ∈ G. Prove that |ab| = |ba|.

(5) Let S be a nonempty subset of a group G. The subgroup hSi gener-

ated by S is
hSi = {x1 x2 · · · xn | xi ∈ S or x−1
i ∈ S}.
Prove that \
hSi = H.
H<G,
S⊂H

(6) Let G be a group of order 15. Show that G contains an element of

order 3.

(7) Let G be a group, and let N < G be a subgroup of index 2. Prove

that N is normal in G.

(8) Let Z be the center of a group G (recall Z C G). Prove that if the
group G/Z is cyclic, then G is abelian.

(9) Let G be a group and let G0 be the subgroup generated by the set
{aba−1 b−1 | a, b ∈ G}.
This is the commutator subgroup of G. It measures the degree to
which G fails to be abelian. (E.g. G0 = {e} if G is abelian.)

(a) Prove that G0 C G and that G/G0 is abelian.

(b) If H C G and G/H is abelian, prove that G0 < H. (Thus G/G0

is the maximal abelian quotient of G.)

(10) Determine all homomorphisms from Z to Z.

   
a b
(11) Let B = | a, b, c ∈ R, ad 6= 0 .
0 d
(a) Show that B is a subgroup of GL2 (R), and that B is nonabelian.
  
1 b
(b) Let N = | b ∈ R , called the unipotent subgroup
0 1
of GL2 (R). Prove that B/N ∼ = R∗ × R∗ , where R∗ × R∗ is the
∗
set {(x, y)|x, y ∈ R } with the abelian group operation (x, y) ·
(a, b) = (xa, yb). (Use the 1st isomorphism theorem.)

(c) Show that N is the commutator subgroup of B. (By part (b)

you know that N contains it.)

(12) Show that

V = {e, (1 2)(3 4), (1 3)(2 4), (1 4)(2 3)}
is a normal subgroup of S4 . The quotient S4 /V is isomorphic to a
familiar group. Can you find it?

(13) Consider a tetrahedron T (a pyramid with 4 congruent triangular

sides). Label the vertices 1, 2, 3, 4. Find the symmetry group of
T , i.e. the subgroup of S4 consisting of permutations which give
rotations of T .

(14) Let G be a group with |G| = pq, where p and q are primes. Show
that every proper subgroup of G is cyclic.

(15) Let H = h(1 2 4)i < A4 . Determine all right and left cosets of H in
A4 . Based on your computation, is H C A4 ?

(16) If every element of a nontrivial group G has even order, show that
there exists a 6= e such that a2 = e.