Some Finite Groups

Chapter 3

One element Group

Let G be an one element group. Then its only one element
must be the identity element e , so
G={e}
Note. Because multiplication ee = e , the inverse of e is e .
That means we always have
e1 = e
and

G = {1}, G =

1 0
0 1

are one element group examples

2

Two elements Group

Let G be a two element group. Because that one element
must be the identity element e , we can assume that
G = { e , a}
Question: What is multiplication result of aa ?
If aa = a then
(aa)a1 = aa1
From associative law
a(aa1) = aa1
And
ae = e
a=e
Because that a and e are different, this is a contradiction.
Therefore we must have
aa = e or a2 = e
3

Multiplication Table
Let G = { e , a} be a two element group.
Then we have the following 4 multiplication results:
ee = e
ea = a
ae = a
aa = e
We can write all those results in a table as follows:
(R)
e a
(L)

(L) means left side elements, (R) means right side elements.
In this multiplication table, every row and every column has no
duplicated elements

Two elements Group Examples

In real number case G = { 1, 1 } is a two element group.
In 22 matrices, let

G=

1 0
a b
,
c d
0 1

be a two elements group.

From above argument, we know that

1 0
0 1

1 0
aa +bc ab +bd
=
ca + dc cb + dd
0 1
5

So we get equation system

a 2 + bc = 1
ab + db = 0
ac + dc = 0
d 2 + bc = 1
One possible solution is b = 0, c = 0, a = 1, d = 1. So
G=

1 0
1 0
,
0 1
0 1

The other solutions second matrices are

1 0
,
0 1

1 0
,
0 1

0 1
1 0
6

Three elements Group

Let G = { e, a, b} be a three element group.
We try to obtain its multiplication table

(L)

(R)
e a

We first consider what is ab=? It is either e or b.

If

ab=b then must a=e and this is impossible.

So we must have ab=e. Similarly

ba=e.

Now we obtain its multiplication table

(L)

(R)
e a

From this table, we have

ab=e,

ba=e

a2 = b , b2 = a ,
And

a3= aa2 = ab=e, b3= bb2 = ba=e,

8

Three elements Group Examples

Group G = 1,

1
3
+
i,
2
2

} is a three elements group.

1
3

i
2
2

We can verify the multiplication table as follwoing:

(
(
(
(
(

)( i ) = 1
i) =
i
i) =
i
i ) =1
i) = 1

1
3
i
+
2
2
1
3
+
2
2

1
3

2
2

1
3
+
2
2
1
3

2
2

1
3

2
2

1
3

2
2

1
3
+
2
2

Another 3 elements Group example

Let Z = {All integers}, define equivalent relation ~ in Z as
following: For any two integers m and n if 3|(mn),
we say that m ~ n
Then we have three equivalent subclasses.
a = { 3k : kZ }
b = { 3k+1 : kZ }
c = { 3k+2 : kZ }
Let set G = { a, b, c}
Now we define operation + in G:
Pick any m a and any n b , we can see m+n b .
So we define
a + b = b and b + a = b
Pick any m a and any n c , we can see m+n c .
So we define
a + c = c and c + a = c
10

Pick any m a and any n a, we can see m+n a .

So we define
a+a=a
Pick any m b and any n b , we can see m+n c .
So we define
b+b=c
Pick any m c and any n c, we can see m+n b .
c+c=b
So we define
Pick any m b and any n c , we can see m+n a .
So we define
b + c = a and c + b = a
The addition table is
(R)
a b
c
(L)

{G, +} is group and

identity element is a

b
11

Order of element
Let G be a group and aG. Let n be the smallest positive integer
such that an = e, then we say that a has order n.
Theorem: If a has order n, then set G= { e, a, a2 , a3, an1 }
is a group. Such a is called a generator of G.
We say that G is generated by a. We can see that G commutes
Theorem: Any one element group is generated by identity.
Any two elements group is generated by an element of order 2.
Any three elements group is generated by an element of order 3
G = {1, 1} is generated by 1 (1 has order 2)
G = {1, i, 1, i} is generated by i or i (both have order 4)

G = 1,

1
2

3
2

i,

1
2

3
2

i is generated by

1
2

3
2

i or

1
2

(both have order 3)

3
2

i
12