Cyclic Group

CYCLIC GROUP
Cyclic Groups
Recall: If G is a group and a∈G, then H={an|n ∈Z} is a
subgroup of G. This group is the cyclic subgroup 〈 a 〉
of G generated by a.
Also, given a group G and an element a in G, if G ={an|n

∈Z} , then a is a generator of G and the group G=
〈 a 〉 is cyclic
Let a be an element of a group G. If the cyclic subgroup

〈 a 〉 is finite, then the order of a is the order | 〈 a 〉
| of this cyclic subgroup. Otherwise, we say that a is of
infinite order.
Elementary Properties of Cyclic Groups
Theorem
Every cyclic group is abelian.
Proof: Let G be a cyclic group and let a be a

generator of G so that
G = 〈 a 〉 ={an|n ∈Z}.
If g1 and g2 are any two elements of G, there exists
integers r and s such that g1=ar and g2=as. Then
g1g2= aras = ar+s = as+r = asar = g2g1,
So G is abelian.
Division Algorithm for Z
Division Algorithm for Z
If m is a positive integer and n is any integer, then there
exist unique integers q and r such that
n = m q + r and 0 ≤ r < m
Here we regard q as the quotient and r as the nonnegative

remainder when n is divided by m.
Example:
Find the quotient q and remainder r when 38 is divided by
7.
q=5, r=3
Find the quotient q and remainder r when -38 is divided by

7. q=-6, r=4
Theorem
Theorem
A subgroup of a cyclic group is cyclic.
Proof: by the division algorithm.
Corollary
The subgroups of Z under addition are
precisely the groups nZ under addition for
n∈Z.
Greatest common divisor
Let r and s be two positive integers. The positive generator
d of the cyclic group
H={ nr + ms |n, m ∈Z}
Under addition is the greatest common divisor (gcd) of r
and s. W write d = gcd (r, s).
Note that d=nr+ms for some integers n and m. Every

integer dividing both r and s divides the right-hand side
of the equation, and hence must be a divisor of d also.
Thus d must be the largest number dividing both r and s.
Example: Find the gcd of 42 andf 72. 6

Relatively Prime
Two positive integers are relatively prime if

their gcd is 1.
Fact
If r and s are relatively prime and if r divides
sm, then r must divide m.
The structure of Cyclic Groups
We can now describe all cyclic groups, up to

an isomorphism.
Theorem
Let G be a cyclic group with generator a. If
the order of G is infinite, then G is
isomorphic to 〈 Z, + 〉 . If G has finite
order n, then G is isomorphic to 〈 Zn,
+n 〉 .
Subgroups of Finite Cyclic Groups
Theorem
Let G be a cyclic group with n elements and generated by a. Let b∈G
and let b=as. Then b generates a cyclic subgroup H of G containing
n/d elements, where d = gcd (n, s).
Also 〈 as 〉 = 〈 ar 〉 if and only gcd (s, n) = gcd (t, n).
Example: using additive notation, consider in Z12, with the generator

a=1.
• 3 = 3⋅1, gcd(3, 12)=3, so 〈 3 〉 has 12/3=4 elements. 〈 3 〉
={0, 3, 6, 9}
Furthermore, 〈 3 〉 = 〈 9 〉 since gcd(3, 12)=gcd(9, 12).
• 8= 8⋅1, gcd (8, 12)=4, so 〈 8 〉 has 12/4=3 elements. 〈 8 〉
={0, 4, 8}
• 5= 5⋅1, gcd (5, 12)=12, so 〈 5 〉 has 12 elements. 〈 5 〉 =Z12.
Subgroup Diagram of Z18
Corollary
If a is a generator of a finite cyclic group G of order n, then the other
generators of G are the elements of the form ar, where r is relatively
prime to n.
Example: Find all subgroups of Z18 and give their subgroup diagram.
• All subgroups are cyclic
• By Corollary, 1 is the generator of Z18, so is 5, 7, 11, 13, and 17.
• Starting with 2, 〈 2 〉 ={0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 }is of order 9,
and gcd(2, 18)=2=gcd(k, 18) where k is 2, 4, 8, 10, 14, and 16. Thus
2, 4, 8, 10, 14, and 16 are all generators of 〈 2 〉 .
• 〈 3 〉 ={0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15} is of order 6, and gcd(3, 18)=3=gcd(k, 18)
where k=15
• 〈 6 〉 ={0, 6, 12} is of order 3, so is 12
• 〈 9 〉 ={0, 9} is of order 2
Subgroup diagram of Z18
〈1〉
〈2〉〈3〉
〈6〉
〈9〉
〈0〉
• To show H is cyclic, it will be needed to
produce a generator for H. What is a
generator? It is an element whose
• powers make up the group. A thing should
be smaller than things which are “built from”
it — for example,
• a brick is smaller than a brick building. Since
elements of the subgroup are “built from” the
generator, the generator should be the
“smallest” thing in the subgroup.

Cyclic Group

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CYCLIC GROUP

Also, given a group G and an element a in G, if G ={an|n

Let a be an element of a group G. If the cyclic subgroup

Proof: Let G be a cyclic group and let a be a

Here we regard q as the quotient and r as the nonnegative

Find the quotient q and remainder r when -38 is divided by

Note that d=nr+ms for some integers n and m. Every

Example: Find the gcd of 42 andf 72. 6

Two positive integers are relatively prime if

We can now describe all cyclic groups, up to

Example: using additive notation, consider in Z12, with the generator

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