CM121A, Abstract Algebra

Solution Sheet 5

Solutions to questions 5-7 from exercise sheet 4, and questions 1-4 from exercise sheet 5

Sheet 4: 5. Consider the following elements of S5 : = 1 2 2 3 3 1 4 5 5 4 , = 1 5 2 4 3 3 4 2 5 1 .

(Recall this means : {1, 2, 3, 4, 5} {1, 2, 3, 4, 5} is dened by (1) = 2, (2) = 3, (3) = 1, etc.) (a) Express and using cycle notation. Solution: = (123)(45), = (15)(24). (b) Compute . Solution: Since ( (1)) = (5) = 4, ( (2)) = (4) = 5, ( (3)) = (3) = 1, ( (4)) = (2) = 3 and ( (5)) = (1) = 2, we have: = 1 4 2 5 3 1 4 3 5 2 ,

or in cycle notation = (143)(25). (c) Compute the inverse of in S5 . Solution: We have 1 (2) = 1, 1 (3) = 2, 1 (1) = 3, 1 (5) = 4 and 1 (4) = 5, so: 1 = 1 3 2 1 3 2 4 5 5 4 ,

or in cycle notation this is (132)(45). 6. Suppose that A, B and C are sets, and that f : A B and g : B C are functions. Prove the following: (a) If g f is injective, then f is injective. Solution: If f (a) = f (a ), then g(f (a)) = g(f (a )), which means that (g f )(a) = (g f )(a ). If g f is injective, this implies that a = a , so f is also injective. (b) If g f is surjective, then g is surjective. Solution: Suppose that c C. If (g f ) is surjective, then (g f )(a) = c for some a A. This means that g(f (a)) = c, so g(b) = c for some b B, namely b = f (a). Therefore g is surjective. 7. Suppose that A and B are sets, and that f : A B and g : B A are functions. We say that g is a left inverse of f if g f = idA . Similarly g is a right inverse of f if f g = idB . (a) Prove that f has a right inverse (i.e., f g = idB for some function g : B A) if and only if f is surjective. Solution: Suppose that f has a right inverse g, so f g = idB . Since idB is surjective, part b) of the preceding problem implies that f is surjective as well. Suppose that f is surjective. This means that for each b B, there is some a A such that f (a) = b. Dene a function g : B A by choosing such an a for each b. Then f (g(b)) = f (a) = b, so f g = idB , and so f has a right inverse. (b) Suppose that A is not the empty set. Prove that f has a left inverse if and only if f is injective. Solution: Suppose that f has a left inverse g, so g f = idA . Then 1

g f is injective, and therefore so is f by part a) of the preceding problem. Suppose that f is injective. Dene a function g : B A as follows: Suppose that b B. If b = f (a) for some a A, then there is exactly one such a (since f is injective) and we dene g(b) to be this a. We still need to dene g(b) if b is not in the range of f . Since A = , there is some element a0 A, and we dene g(b) to be a0 for all such b. Then g(f (a)) = a for all a A, because if b = f (a), then g(b) = a. Note: We had to assume A was non-empty for the following reason: If A = and B is non-empty, then there is a function from f : A B. We just have to dene f (a) for every a A, but there are no elements of A, so we dont have to do anything to dene f . And in fact theres only one function from the empty set to B, and it is injective. On the other hand there are no functions g : B A (since there are no possible values), so even though f is injective, it cant possibly have a left inverse. Sheet 5: 1. Suppose that G is a group with identity element e, and that g and h are elements of G. Prove that there is a unique element x G such that g(xh) = e. Solution: Let x = g 1 h1 . Then g(xh) = g((g 1 h1 )h) = g(g 1 (h1 h)) = g(g 1 e) = (gg 1 )e = gg 1 = e. (associativity) (since h1 h = e) (associativity) (denition of identity)

This is the only solution since if g(xh) = e, then x = exe = (g 1 g)x(hh1 ) = g 1 (gxh)h1 = g 1 eh1 = g 1 h1 . (again using associativity, denition of inverses and identity). Remark: At this stage you should be comfortable enough with the consequences of associativity to omit the parentheses as Ive just done (for example, writing x = exe instead of x = ex = (ex)e, etc.) 2. Suppose that G and g is an element of G such that g 2 = g. Prove that g = e (the identity element of G). Solution: Since gg = g = ge, the cancellation law implies that g = e. 3. Suppose that G is a group such that g 2 = e (the identity element) for all g G. Prove that G is abelian. Solution: Suppose that g, h G. Applying the equation to the element gh G gives ghgh = (gh)2 = e. Multiplying the equation by g on the left and h on the right (and applying associativity) gives gives g(ghgh)h = geh = gh. Since gg = hh = e, it follows (again using associativity) that g(ghgh)h = (gg)(hg)(hh) = e(hg)e = hg, and therefore gh = hg. Weve now shown that gh = hg for all g, h G, so G is abelian. 4. Suppose that G is a group and g G. Prove that (g m )n = g mn for all m, n Z as follows: (a) First prove the formula holds for all m Z and n N. (Use induction on n and the fact proved in lecture that g a g b = g a+b for all a, b Z.) Solution: For n = 1, the formula just says g m = g m . Suppose now that n > 1 and that (g m )n1 = g m(n1) . Then the formula g a g b = g a+b gives (g m )n = (g m )n1 g m = g m(n1) g m = g m(n1)+m = g mn . 2

(b) Deduce that the formula holds for all m, n Z. Solution: For n = 0, we have (g m )0 = e = g 0 = g mn . Suppose now 1 that n < 0. Then (g m )n is dened as ((g m )n ) (i.e., the inverse m n of (g ) ). Since n > 0, weve already shown that (g m )n = g m(n) = g mn , so we only need to show that g mn is the inverse of g mn , but this follows from the formula g mn g mn = g mn+(mn) = g 0 = e (or even from the denitions: if mn = 0, then these are both dened as e; otherwise, the one with the negative exponent is dened as the inverse of the other).