Tagged: center of a group

Equivalent Definitions of Characteristic Subgroups. Center is Characteristic.

Problem 246

Let $H$ be a subgroup of a group $G$. We call $H$ characteristic in $G$ if for any automorphism $\sigma\in \Aut(G)$ of $G$, we have $\sigma(H)=H$.

(a) Prove that if $\sigma(H) \subset H$ for all $\sigma \in \Aut(G)$, then $H$ is characteristic in $G$.

(b) Prove that the center $Z(G)$ of $G$ is characteristic in $G$.

 
Read solution

LoadingAdd to solve later

Group Homomorphism, Conjugate, Center, and Abelian group

Problem 209

Let $G$ be a group. We fix an element $x$ of $G$ and define a map
\[ \Psi_x: G\to G\] by mapping $g\in G$ to $xgx^{-1} \in G$.
Then prove the followings.
(a) The map $\Psi_x$ is a group homomorphism.

(b) The map $\Psi_x=\id$ if and only if $x\in Z(G)$, where $Z(G)$ is the center of the group $G$.

(c) The map $\Psi_y=\id$ for all $y\in G$ if and only if $G$ is an abelian group.

 
Read solution

LoadingAdd to solve later

Centralizer, Normalizer, and Center of the Dihedral Group $D_{8}$

Problem 53

Let $D_8$ be the dihedral group of order $8$.
Using the generators and relations, we have
\[D_{8}=\langle r,s \mid r^4=s^2=1, sr=r^{-1}s\rangle.\]

(a) Let $A$ be the subgroup of $D_8$ generated by $r$, that is, $A=\{1,r,r^2,r^3\}$.
Prove that the centralizer $C_{D_8}(A)=A$.

(b) Show that the normalizer $N_{D_8}(A)=D_8$.

(c) Show that the center $Z(D_8)=\langle r^2 \rangle=\{1,r^2\}$, the subgroup generated by $r^2$.

Read solution

LoadingAdd to solve later

A Group of Order the Square of a Prime is Abelian

Problem 20

Suppose the order of a group $G$ is $p^2$, where $p$ is a prime number.
Show that

(a) the group $G$ is an abelian group, and

(b) the group $G$ is isomorphic to either $\Zmod{p^2}$ or $\Zmod{p} \times \Zmod{p}$ without using the fundamental theorem of abelian groups.

Read solution

LoadingAdd to solve later