Chapter 3: Cyclic Groups

Exercises 3: (Cyclic Groups)

In Exercise 1 through 4, find the number of generators of a cyclic group having the
given order.
1. 5
2. 8
3. 12
4. 60
In Exercises 5 through 9, find the number of elements in the indicated cyclic group.
5.
The cyclic subgroup of 30 generated by 25
6.
7.
8.
9.

The cyclic subgroup of 42 generated by 30

The cyclic subgroup i of the group of nonzero complex numbers under

multiplication
The cyclic subgroup of the group of Exercise 7 generated by (1 i ) / 2
The cyclic subgroup of the group of Exercise 7 generated by 1 i

In Exercise 10 through 12, find all subgroups of the given group, and draw the lattice
diagram for the subgroups.
10.
12
11.
36
12.
8
In Exercise 13 through 17, find all orders of subgroups of the given group.
13. 6
14. 8
15. 12
16. 20
17. 17
In Exercises 18 through 21, either give an example of a group with the property
described, or explain why no example exists.
18.
A finite group that is not cyclic
19.
An infinite group that is not cyclic
20.
A cyclic group having only one generator
21.
A finite cyclic group having four generators
22.

Let r and s be positive integers. Show that {nr ms | n, m } is a subgroup

of
.

23.

Show by a counterexample that the following converse of the theorem

below is not a theorem: If a group G is such that every proper subgroup is
cyclic, then G is cyclic.
Theorem: A subgroup of a cyclic group is cyclic.

24.

Show that p has no proper nontrivial subgroups if p is a prime number.

25.

Find all generators of 6 , 8 , and 20 .

26.

List the elements of the subgroups 3 and 15 in 18 .

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Chapter 3: Cyclic Groups

27.

Let a be an element of a group and let a 15. Compute the orders of the
following elements of G.
a.
a 3 , a 6 , a 9 , a12 ;
b.

a 5 , a10 ;

c.

a 2 , a 4 , a8 , a14 .

28.

Let G be a group and let a G. Prove that a 1 a .

29.

Suppose that a 24. Find a generator for a 21 a10 . In general, what is a

generator for the subgroup a m a n ?

30.

If a cyclic group has an element of infinite order, how many elements of finite
order does it have?

31.

Let G be a group and let a be an element of G.

a.
If a12 e, what can we say about the order of a?
b.
c.

If a m e, what can we say about the order of a?

Suppose that G 24 and that G is cyclic. If a8 e and a12 e,
show that a G.

32.

Prove that a group of order 3 must be cyclic.

33.

Let Z denote the group of integers under addition. Is every subgroup of Z

cyclic? Why? Describe all the subgroups of Z.

34.

Determine the subgroup lattice for p2q , where p and q are distinct primes.

35.

Determine the subgroup lattice for 8 .

36.

Show that the group of positive rational numbers under multiplication is not
cyclic.

37.

Consider the set {7,35, 49, 77} . Show that this set is a group under
multiplication modulo 84 by constructing its Cayley table. What is the
identity element? Is the group cyclic?

38.

Let m and n be elements of the group . Find a generator for the group
m n .

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Chapter 3: Cyclic Groups

39.

Let p be a prime. If a group has more than p 1 elements of order p, why

cant the group be cyclic?

40.

Let x 40. List all the elements of x that have order 10.

41.

Let a and b be elements of a group. If a 10 and b 21, show

a b {e}.

42.

Let a and b belong to a group. If a 24 and b 10, what are the

possibilities for a b ?

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