GROUPS AND REPRESENTATIONS

EXERCISES
Eötvös University, Budapest
Fall Semester, 2016

1. PERMUTATION GROUPS
1. Show the statements mentioned in the lecture:
(a) ωg1 = ωg2 ⇐⇒ Gω g1 = Gω g2 ;
(b) |ωG| = |G : Gω |;
(c) Gωg = g −1 Gω g.
2. If a group G contains a subgroup of index k, then it contains a normal subgroup N with index n satisfying k | n | k!.1
3. What are those Abelian permutation groups A ≤ Sn for which |A| = 3n/3 holds?
4. The centralizer of a semi-regular permutation group is transitive.
5. Let Ω be a finite set and G ≤ Sym(Ω) a permutation P group. Then the number of orbits of G is equal to the average
1
number of fixed points of permutations in G, i.e., |G| g∈G |Fix(g)|.

6. Give an example of two actions of a group that are not equivalent, although each element has the same number of
fixed points in both actions.
7. In any finite group the probability that two randomly and independently chosen elements commute is equal to the
number of conjugacy classes divided by the order of the group.
8. In any finite group the probability that two randomly and independently chosen elements have the same square
is equal to the number of self-inverse conjugacy classes divided by the order of the group. (A conjugacy class is
self-inverse, if it contains the inverse of every element from the class.)
9. In a non-commutative finite group the probability that two elements commute is at most 5/8.
10. Determine the order of the centralizer of an arbitrary permutation.
11. What is the center of the symmetric group?
12. (a) Let H be a group such that every automorphism of H is inner and the center of H is trivial. Then if H is a
normal subgroup in a group G, then G is a direct product of H and another subgroup.
(b) Prove the converse statement.
13. (a) Let us consider the action of S5 on the set of its Sylow 5-subgroups by conjugation. This gives us a transitive
subgroup G < S6 . Take the action of S6 on the set of right cosets of G. Show that this gives an automorphism of S6
that is not inner.
(b) The inner automorphisms form a subgroup of index 2 in the full automorphism group of S6 .
14. Let us generalize Sylow’s First Theorem: Fix a subgroup K of order dividing pk , and prove that the number of
subgroups of order pk containing K is also congruent to 1 modulo p.
15. If the Sylow 2-subgroup of G is cyclic, then G contains a normal subgroup of index 2.
16. How many Sylow p-subgroups are there in the symmetric group Sp ? From this, derive Wilson’s Theorem (in
elementary number theory): (p − 1)! ≡ −1 (mod p).
17. Let P be a Sylow p-subgroup in G, and let NG (P ) ≤ H ≤ G. Then NG (H) = H.
18. Arrange the element of Ω into a rectangular matrix. Let R consist of those permutations g for which ∀ω ∈ Ω : ωg
and ω are in the same row of the matrix, and let C = {g ∈ Sym(Ω) | ωg and ω are in the same column}. Prove that
Sym(Ω) = RCR.
19. Exhibit normal subgroups of Sym(Ω) for infinite sets Ω.

2. FREE GROUPS
1. A word is called cyclically reduced if it is reduced and moreover the first and the last letter are not inverses of
each other. Show that every conjugacy class of the free group contains a cyclically reduced word.
2. Every nonidentity element of the free group has infinite order.
3. The centralizer of every nonidentity element of the free group is cyclic.
4. Let ϕ : F ({x, y}) → Z with ϕ(x) = 1, ϕ(y) = 0. Show that the kernel of ϕ is a free group of infinite rank.

1If the exercise is a statement, then you should prove it.

1
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5. For which sets X, Y does F (X) contain a subgroup isomorphic to F (Y )?

6. Express the rank of F (X)2 = hw2 |w ∈ F (X)i using |X| = r.
7. Give a recursive formula for the number of subgroups of index n in a free group of rank r.
8. Find a group which is not residually finite.
9. Which statement is true?
(a) Subgroups of residually finite groups are residually finite.
(b) Quotient groups of residually finite groups are residually finite.
(c) Direct products of residually finite groups are residually finite.
10. Exhibit a group that does not have the Hopf property.
11. Is it true that every injective endomorphism of a free group of finite rank is an automorphism?
12. Which of the following words are primitive elements of F ({x, y})? xyx, xyxy −1 , xxyxy
T∞
13. Let H1 = F (X) and Hi+1 = Hi2 (i = 1, 2, . . . ). Show that i=1 Hi = 1.
   
1 2 1 0
14. Prove that the matrices , generate a free group.
0 1 2 1

3. GROUPS OF LINEAR TRANSFORMATIONS

1. (a) GL(2, 2) ∼
= S3 and (b) PGL(2, 3) ∼
= S4 .
2. Which of the groups PSL(2, 4), PSL(2, 5), A5 are isomorphic?
3. Show that PSL(2, 7) ∼
= PSL(3, 2).
4. Show that PSL(3, 4) and PSL(4, 2) are not isomorphic. (Remark: Both of them are simple groups of order 20160.)
5. Show that one of the groups from the previous exercise is isomorphic to A8 .
6. Exhibit a Sylow p-subgroup of GL(d, p) and determine the number of Sylow p-subgroups.
7. What are the Sylow 2-subgroups of SL(2, 3)?
8. Show that GL(d, q) contains elements of order q d − 1 (called a Singer-cycle).
9. What is the determinant of a Singer-cycle?
10. What is the maximum of element orders in GL(d, q)?
11. What is the normalizer (in GL(d, q)) of the subgroup generated by a Singer-cycle?
12. Is it true that GL(d, F ) is a direct product where one of the factors is SL(d, F )?
   
1 t 1 s
13. Which pair of matrices and are conjugate in SL(2, F )?
0 1 0 1
14. Prove that every element of SL(d, F ) is the product of at most 2d transvections.
15. Show that there exist elements of SL(d, F ) that cannot be written as a product of less than d transvections.
16. How many transvections are contained in SL(d, q)?
17. What is the commutator subgroup of GL(d, F )?
18. For what values of d and q does GL(d, q) contain an element that is an odd permutation of the vectors?

4. GROUP EXTENSIONS
1. Assume that Z(A) = 1. Show that every extension of A by X can be embedded into the direct product Aut(A) × X.
2. Determine all extensions of the cyclic group of order 2n by the 2-element cyclic group (up to isomorphism).
3. Let A be an Abelian group and α : X → Aut(A) a fixed homomorphism. Let us consider all extensions of A
by X belonging to α. Let G1 and G2 be two such extensions, with factor-sets f1 and f2 . Define H = {(g1 , g2 ) ∈
G1 × G2 |g1 A = g2 A}, D = {(a, a−1 )|a ∈ A}. Show that D C H, H/D is an extension of A by X with factor-set f1 f2
(and automorphisms α).
4. Determine the cohomology group H 2 (Z2 × Z2 , Z2 ) and investigate which groups correspond to its elements.
5. What groups X have the following property? If G/N ∼ = X, then N has a complement in G.
6. Is it true that GL(2, T ) is a split extension of SL(2, T )?
7. Prove the theorem about the triviality of Hα1 (X, A).
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8. Let G be a finite group, B ≤ Aut(G), p a prime number. Assume that (|G|, |B|) = 1, and moreover, at least one of
G and B is a solvable group. Prove the following.
(a) There exists a B-invariant Sylow p-subgroup in G.
(b) Any two B-invariant Sylow p-subgroups can be mapped to one another be an appropriate element of CG (B).
(c) Every B-invariant subgroup of p-power order is a subgroup of a B-invariant Sylow p-subgroup.

5. p-GROUPS
1. Determine all subgroups and quotient groups of the quasicyclic group.
2. What is the Frattini subgroup of a quasicyclic group?
3. If all proper subgroups of an infinite Abelian group are finite, then it is a quasicyclic group.
4. If the additive group of a ring is a quasicyclic group, then every product is 0.
5. What is the minimum number of generators in a Tarski group?
6. Show that a Tarski group is simple.
7. If N is a non-trivial normal subgroup in the finite p-group G, then N ∩ Z(G) 6= 1.
8. Give an example of a self-normalizing proper subgroup in an infinite 2-group.
9. Which ones of the following statements are true?
(a) If H ≤ G, then Φ(H) ≤ Φ(G);
(b) If N C G, then Φ(G/N ) = Φ(G)N/N ;
(c) Φ(G1 × G2 ) = Φ(G1 ) × Φ(G2 ).
10. What is the automorphism group of G/Φ(G), if G is a finite p-group?
11. Show that G/Z(G) cannot be a quasicyclic group.
12. Show that G/Z(G) cannot be the quaternion group of order 8.
13. Determine the number of subgroups of order pk in an elementary Abelian group of order pn .
14. Determine the number of subgroups of order p and p2 in each group of order p3 .
15. Suppose that a finite group has minimal (with respect to containment) generating sets of size both n and m, and
let n < m. Prove that there is a minimal generating set of size n + 1 as well.
16. Prove the statement about the isomorphism types of groups of order 8.
17. What is the maximum order of an element in the Sylow p-subgroup of Sn ?
18. What is the maximum order of an element in the Sylow p-subgroup of GL(d, p)?

6. NILPOTENT GROUPS
1. Show an example for group elements a, b, c ∈ G such that [[a, b], c] 6= [a, [b, c]].
2. Show an example for subgroups X, Y ≤ G such that [X, Y ] 6= {[x, y] | x ∈ X, y ∈ Y }.
3. If A and B are normal subgroups, then [A, B] is also normal.
4. If A, B, and C are normal subgroups, then [AB, C] = [A, C][B, C].
5. If A and B are nilpotent normal subgroups, then AB is also nilpotent.
6. Calculate the nilpotency class of the dihedral group D2n .
7. Determine the nilpotency class of UT(n, R). (R is a ring with unity.)
8. G0 ∩ Z(G) ≤ Φ(G).
9. If every pair of elements of the finite group G generate a nilpotent subgroup, then G is nilpotent.
10. If the center of G is torsion-free (i.e., it contains no element of finite order except the identity element), then
Z2 (G)/Z1 (G) is also torsion-free.
11. Show an example for a group in which the elements of finite order do not form a subgroup.
12. If G0 = G, then Z2 (G) = Z1 (G).
13. Find a finite group G such that Z(G) = 1, however, G > γ2 (G) > γ3 (G) > · · · > γn (G) (n is arbitrarily given).
14. [Zi (G), γi (G)] = 1.
15. Show an example for subgroups X, Y, Z ≤ G such that [[X, Y ], Z] 6= h [[x, y], z] | x ∈ X, y ∈ Y, z ∈ Z i.
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7. SOLVABLE GROUPS
1. If the order of a group is the product of two prime numbers then the group is solvable.
2. If the order of a group is the product of three prime numbers then the group is solvable.
3. Every finite group contains a largest solvable normal subgroup (that is, one containing all solvable normal sub-
groups).
4. If a group has nilpotence class c, then it has derived length at most dlog2 (c + 1)e.
5. Show that in nilpotent groups (with the exception of Abelian groups) the nilpotence class cannot be bounded by a
function of the derived length.
6. Investigate which statements of Hall’s Theorem are valid for S5 for the various sets of primes.
7. In a finite solvable group the index of any maximal subgroup is a prime-power.
8. If p is a prime divisor of the order of a finite solvable group, then there is a maximal subgroup whose index is a
power of p.
9. Let G be a finite solvable group, |G| = pk11 · · · pkr r . Prove that for every pi we can choose a Sylow pi -subgroup Pi
such that Pi Pj = Pj Pi holds for every pair of indices.
10. If a finite group contains three solvable subgroups of pairwise coprime indices, then the group itself is solvable.
11. We say that a finite group G is a CLT-group (abbreviating “Converse Lagrange Theorem”), if for every divisor
d | |G| there is a subgroup of order d in G.
(a) Every CLT-group is solvable.
(b) Find a finite solvable group that is not a CLT-group.
(c) Every finite solvable group can be embedded into a CLT-group.
12. If every element of a finitely generated solvable group has finite order, then the group is finite.
13. Let G ≤ Sp be a transitive permutation group, where p is a prime. Prove that G is solvable, if and only if the
intersection of the stabilizers of any two points consists of the identity only. (The result is due to Galois. Using Galois
theory, how can we reformulate this statement in the language of equations?)

8. REPRESENTATIONS
1. Let the group G act on the finite set Ω. Let us regard Ω as a basis of a vector space and define an |Ω|-dimensional
representation of G. When is this representation irreducible?
 
1 z
2. Show that z 7→ is a representation of Z. Is this representation irreducible? Completely reducible?
0 1
3. Let G = hgi be a cyclic group of order n. Let us map g k to the rotation of the (real) plane around the origin by
2πk/n. Show that this is an irreducible representation, provided n > 2.
4. Give a 2-dimensional representation of S3 such that all entries of the matrices representing the group elements are
integers.
5. Assume that G contains a commutative subgroup of index k. Then every irreducible representation of G over the
complex numbers has dimension at most k.
6. Prove the description of all irreducible representations of a finite Abelian group.
7. Determine all irreducible representations of the dihedral group D5 .
8. Find all idempotent elements in the group algebra CC3 . (C3 denotes the cyclic group of order 3.)
9. Define the determinant of a finite dimensional representation.
10. Prove that a finite simple group of even order cannot have a 2-dimensional irreducible representation over the
complex numbers. Over other fields? (By the way, the theorem of Feit and Thompson guarantees that every finite
non-commutative simple group has even order.)
11. Assume that the characteristic p of the base field divides the order of G. Show that the regular representation of
G is not completely reducible.
12. Suppose that the finite group G has a faithful irreducible representation. Prove that the center of G is cyclic.
13. Let G → GL(V ) be a representation, where G is a finite group, V is a finite dimensional vector space over the
real numbers. Prove that one can choose a basis in V so that all matrices representing elements of G are orthogonal.
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9. CHARACTERS
1. Show that the complex conjugate of a character is a character as well.
2. Let g ∈ G. Show that χ(g) is a real number for all characters χ, if and only is g −1 is a conjugate of g.
3. Prove that the number of those rows in a character table that consist entirely of real numbers is the same as the
number of columns consisting of real numbers.
4. Let t ∈ G be an element of order 2, and χ a character of the group G. Show that χ(t) is an integer and χ(t) ≡ χ(1)
(mod 2).
5. In every representation of a finite group, the transformations corresponding to group elements are all diagonalizable.
6. Let G ≤ Sn be a permutation group. The character π of the corresponding representation G → GL(n, C) is called
a permutation character.
(a) What does π(g) mean?
(b) Show that h1G , πi is the number of orbits of G.
(c) Prove that π − 1G is irreducible, if and only if G is 2-transitive or n = 2.
7. A class function ψ is a character of some representation of G, if and only if for every irreducible character χi of G
the inner product hχi , ψi is a nonnegative integer and ψ is not identically 0.
8. Suppose that the values of the character χ are all zero except for the unit element. Show that χ(1) is divisible by
|G|.
p
9. The dimension of every irreducible representation of G is at most ≤ |G : Z(G)|.
10. Let χ be an irreducible character of the group G and x ∈ G. Then
1 X χ(x)
χ(gx)χ(g −1 ) = .
|G| χ(1)
g∈G

11. Determine the character table of the 8-element quaternion group.

12. Complete the following character table:
? ? ? ?
? -1 √
? ?
5−1
2 0 2 ?
? 0 ? ?

13. Determine the character table of A5 .

10. VALUES OF CHARACTERS, THE THEOREM OF BURNSIDE

1. Let g1 , g2 , . . . , gk be representatives of the conjugacy classes of the group G. Denote by si the sum in the group
Pk
algebra of all conjugates of gi in G. We know that si sj = m=1 γijm sm with appropriate non-negative integer
coefficients γijm . Show that
|G| X χ(gi )χ(gj )χ(gm )
γijm = .
|CG (gi )||CG (gj )| χ(1)
χ∈Irr(G)

Qk Pk
2. Using the notation from the previous exercise assume that i=1 si =c i=1 si with some positive integer c. Prove
that G0 = G.
3. The dimension of any irreducible representation is a divisor of |G : Z(G)|.
4. Prove that a group element g ∈ G is a commutator (i.e., ∃ x, y ∈ G : g = x−1 y −1 xy) if and only if
X χ(g)
6= 0.
χ(1)
χ∈Irr(G)

5. Let G be a finite simple group, p a prime number, and P a Sylow p-subgroup in G. Suppose that G has a
p-dimensional irreducible representation. Following the hints below prove that |P | = p.
(a) If P is not commutative, then the restriction of the representation to P is still irreducible. Hence the elements of the
(non-trivial) center of P are represented by scalar matrices. Therefore, the center of G is non-trivial, a contradiction.
(b) If P is commutative, then the value of the character is 0 for each non-unit element of P . Now Exercise 8 from the
previous section can be applied.
6. If χ is an irreducible character of a finite p-group G, then χ(1)2 | |G|.
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7. If g ∈ G has prime order p and χ(g) = 0 for an irreducible character χ, then p | χ(1).
8. Prove that the sum of all numbers in any row of the character table is a non-negative integer.
9. Prove that if the absolute value of a character value is 1, then it is a root of unity.
10. The polynomial x4 − 2x3 − 2x + 1 has a root with absolute value 1, but not a root of unity.

11. INDUCED REPRESENTATIONS, THE THEOREM OF FROBENIUS

1. Let G be a transitive permutation group. Show that the permutation character is the same as the character induced
from the trivial character of the stabilizer.
2. Let H ≤ L ≤ G and let χ be a class function on H. Show that (χL )G = χG .
3. Let H ≤ G and φ an irreducible representation of H. Show that G has an irreducible representation such that if
we restrict it to H then it has in irreducible constituent equivalent to φ.
4. If G is a finite Abelian group and H ≤ G is a subgroup, then every irreducible representation of H can be extended
to G.
5. Let F be a finite field, p a prime divisor of the order of the multiplicative group of F , n ≤ p, moreover, D ∈ GL(n, F )
a diagonal matrix whose diagonal entries are pairwise distinct p-th roots of unity. Let H = hDi, K = U T (n, F ) the
group of upper unitriangular matrices (i.e., the diagonal entries are all 1). Show that HK is a Frobenius group.
6. Let HK be a Frobenius group, 1 6= H1 ≤ H, K1 C HK, 1 < K1 < K. Then H1 K, HK1 , HK/K1 are Frobenius
groups as well.
7. If χ is a non-trivial irreducible character of the Frobenius kernel, then χG is an irreducible character of the Frobenius
group G.
8. Find a Frobenius group with Frobenius complement isomorphic to SL(2, 5).

12. THE TRANSFER

1. Let H be a subgroup of finite index in G and H ≤ K ≤ G. Then τK→H ◦ τG→K = τG→H .
2. What is τG→H (z) for z ∈ Z(G) ?
3. Let G = HK, H ∩ K = 1. Show that K ≤ Ker(τG→H ).
4. If the Sylow p-subgroup of G is commutative, then |Z(G) ∩ G0 | is not divisible by p.
5. Let P be a Sylow subgroup in G. Prove that Im(τG→P ) ∼= P/(P ∩ G0 ).
6. Show that no group has commutator subgroup isomorphic to S3 .
7. Prove that the order of every finite non-abelian simple group is divisible either by the cube of a prime number of
by 12.
8. Prove that every group of order n is cyclic, if and only if (ϕ(n), n) = 1.
9. How many isomorphism types of groups of order 210 are there?
10. How many groups of order pqr exist, where p < q < r are prime numbers?
11. Find a group G for which G0 is finite, and the index of Z(G) is infinite.
12. Give an upper bound for |G0 | as a function of n = |G : Z(G)|.