Elements of Algebraic Structures 2017
(Practice Problems 1)
August 14, 2017
• You need not submit the answers to me.
• I expect you to try each problem.
• I plan to discuss some of them in class after about two weeks.
1. Let G be a group, and suppose that a and b are any elements of G. Show that if
(ab)2 = a2 b2 , then ba = ab.
2. Let G be a group, and suppose that a and b are any elements of G. Show that
(aba−1 )n = abn a−1 , for any positive integer n.
3. Let G be a set with an operation ∗ such that:
• G is closed under ∗.
• ∗ is associative.
• There exists an element e ∈ G such that e ∗ x = x for all x ∈ G.
• Given x ∈ G, there exists a y ∈ G such that y ∗ x = e.
Prove that G is a group. (Thus you must show that x ∗ e = x and x ∗ y = e for e, y as
above.)
4. Let G be a finite nonempty set with an operation ∗ such that:
• G is closed under ∗.
• ∗ is associative.
• Given a, b, c ∈ G with a ∗ b = a ∗ c, then b = c.
• Given a, b, c ∈ G with b ∗ a = c ∗ a, then b = c.
Prove that G must be a group under ∗.
5. If a ∈ G, define N (a) = {x ∈ G|xa = ax}. Show that N (a) is a subgroup of G.
1
6. The center Z of a group G is defined by
Z(G) = {z ∈ G|zx = xz for all x ∈ G}
Show that Z(G) is a subgroup of G.
7. G be a group with no non-trivial subgroups, show that G must be finite and of prime
order.
8. If G is a finite abelian group and a1 , ..., an are all its elements, show that x = a1 a2 ...an
must satisfy x2 = e.
9. If aH and bH are distinct left cosets of H in G, are Ha and Hb distinct right cosets
of H in G? Prove that this is true or give a counterexample.
10. Let G be a group, H a subgroup of G, and let S be the set of all distinct right cosets
of H in G, T the set of all left cosets of H in G. Prove that there is a 1-1 mapping of
S onto T .
11. If aH = bH forces Ha = Hb in G, show that aHa−1 = H for every a ∈ G.
12. If o(a) = m and as = e, prove that m|s.
13. Let G be a finite group, H a subgroup of G. Let f (a) be the least positive m such that
am ∈ H. Prove that f (a)|o(a).
14. If H is a subgroup of G such that the product of two right cosets of H in G is again a
right coset of H in G, prove that H is normal in G.
15. List the cosets of < 7 > in Z∗16 . Is the factor group Z∗16 / < 7 > cyclic?
16. Determine in each of the parts if the given mapping is a homomorphism. If so, identify
its kernel and whether or not the mapping is 1-1 or onto.
(a) G = Z under +, G0 = Zn , φ(a) = [a] for a ∈ Z.
(b) G group, φ : G → G defined by φ(a) = a−1 for a ∈ G.
(c) G abelian group, φ : G → G defined by φ(a) = a−1 for a ∈ G.
(d) G group of all nonzero real numbers under multiplication, G0 = {1, −1} with
multiplication, φ(r) = 1 if r is positive, φ(r) = −1 if r is negative.
(e) G an abelian group, n > 1 a fixed integer, and φ : G → G0 defined by φ(a) = an
for a ∈ G.
17. If G is a group and H is a subgroup of index 2 in G, prove that H is a normal subgroup
of G.
18. If M and N are normal subgroups of G then M ∩ N is also a normal subgroup of G.
19. If G is a group and a ∈ G, define σa : G → G by σa (g) = aga−1
2
(a) Show that σa is an isomorphism of G onto itself.
(b) σa being an isomorphism σa ∈ A(G), the group of all 1-1 mappings of G (as a
set) onto itself. Define ψ : G → A(G) by ψ(a) = σa for all a ∈ G. Prove that:
i. ψ is a homomorphism of G into A(G).
ii. Kerψ = Z(G), the center of G.
20. If θ : G → G is a homomorphism and N a normal subgroup of G, prove that θ(N ) =
{θ(x) : x ∈ N } is also a normal subgroup of G.
