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    Topics in Algebra Hernste

    Uploaded by

    Vishalkumar Bhatt
    This proof shows that in any group G, if G contains elements of orders m and n, then G must also contain an element of order lcm(m,n). It first proves this for the special case when m and n are relatively prime. It then proves the general case by writing m and n as products of prime factors, and showing that G contains elements with orders equal to the maximum exponent of each prime factor in m and n. Taking the product of these elements yields an element of order lcm(m,n).

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Topics in Algebra Hernste

    Uploaded by

    Vishalkumar Bhatt
    74 views2 pages
    This proof shows that in any group G, if G contains elements of orders m and n, then G must also contain an element of order lcm(m,n). It first proves this for the special case when m and n are relatively prime. It then proves the general case by writing m and n as products of prime factors, and showing that G contains elements with orders equal to the maximum exponent of each prime factor in m and n. Taking the product of these elements yields an element of order lcm(m,n).

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    This proof shows that in any group G, if G contains elements of orders m and n, then G must also contain an element of order lcm(m,n). It first proves this for the special case when m and n are relatively prime. It then proves the general case by writing m and n as products of prime factors, and showing that G contains elements with orders equal to the maximum exponent of each prime factor in m and n. Taking the product of these elements yields an element of order lcm(m,n).

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    74 views2 pages

    Topics in Algebra Hernste

    Uploaded by

    Vishalkumar Bhatt
    This proof shows that in any group G, if G contains elements of orders m and n, then G must also contain an element of order lcm(m,n). It first proves this for the special case when m and n are relatively prime. It then proves the general case by writing m and n as products of prime factors, and showing that G contains elements with orders equal to the maximum exponent of each prime factor in m and n. Taking the product of these elements yields an element of order lcm(m,n).

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 2

    Herstein: Topics in Algebra - Subgroups and A Counting

    Principle
    by Bret Sherfinski

    June 1, 2015

    25. Let G be an abelian group and suppose that G has elements of orders m and n,
    respectively. Prove that G has an element whose order is the least common multiple
    of m and n.

    Proof: First we begin by proving a fact for all groups G in general:


    n
    FACT: If g ∈ G has order n, then g k has order for any k ∈ Z.
    (n, k)
    n
    Proof to FACT: Let t be the order of g k ,so we want to show t = .
    (n,k) 
    n k n k
    Since (g k )t = g kt = e we have n | kt and therefore | t, but , =1
    (n, k) (n, k) (n, k) (n, k)
    n
    so | t.
    (n, k)
    n k n n
    Likewise, (g k ) (n,k) = (g n ) (n,k) = e so t | . Therefore, t = and this completes
    (n, k) (n, k)
    our proof of the FACT.

    Returning to the original problem let x, y ∈ G where |x| = m and |y| = n. Since G is
    abelian we also have xy = yx and in the proof to follow, we only need that x and y com-
    mute as elements of G, so it is not necessary that the group G be an abelian group. We
    only will need that x and y commute. First we prove the special case when m and n are
    positive integers such that (m, n) = 1.

    Proof of Special Case: The required element of G is xy and the least common mul-
    tiple in this special case where (m, n) = 1 is mn. Let |xy| = c then we will show that
    c = mn as required.

    Since (xy)m = y m has order n according our FACT then using the FACT again we
    have n | c. Likewise, applying the same argument, since (xy)n = xn has order m we have

    1
    2

    m | c. Therefore, we have mn | c because (m, n) = 1. Furthermore, since (xy)mn = e


    we have c | mn and hence equality c = mn, proving the special case where m and n are
    relatively prime.

    Now we are ready to prove the exercise for the general case. Let’s reiterate the condi-
    tions and statement: Suppose x, y ∈ G, |x| = m,|y| = n and xy = yx then there exists an
    element in G of order [m, n], the least common multiple of m and n. Let’s write out m and n:

    m = pα1 1 pα2 2 · · · pαk k

    n = pβ1 1 pβ2 2 · · · pβk k

    max{α1 ,β1 } max{α2 ,β2 } max{αk ,βk }


    so [m, n] = p1 p2 · · · pk . Clearly, max{αi , βi } = αi or βi .
    m
    αi m
    If max{αi , βi } = αi then by our FACT we know the order of x pi is = pαi i . Like-
    (m, pm
    αi )
    i
    n
    β n
    wise, if max{αi , βi } = βi then by our FACT we know the order of y p i
    i is n = pβi i .
    (n,
    β )
    pi i
    max{αi ,βi }
    Therefore, for every 1 ≤ i ≤ k there exists element zi such that |zi | = pi where zi
    is some power of x or y and since xy = yx we have zi zj = zj zi for all 1 ≤ i ≤ j ≤ k. Hence,
    by the Special Case, since distinct zi have orders which are mutually relatively prime we
    max{α1 ,β1 } max{α2 ,β2 } max{αk ,βk }
    have |z1 z2 · · · zk | = p1 p2 · · · pk = [m, n] as desired.

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