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Correspondence_Theorem_for_Groups

The document presents the Correspondence Theorem for Groups, which establishes a bijection between the subgroups of a quotient group G/H and the subgroups of G containing a normal subgroup H. It also discusses the implications of this theorem, including conditions under which subgroups remain normal and a special case for finite groups. Additionally, the document includes a proof of the existence of subgroups of specific orders in p-groups.

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13 views

Correspondence_Theorem_for_Groups

The document presents the Correspondence Theorem for Groups, which establishes a bijection between the subgroups of a quotient group G/H and the subgroups of G containing a normal subgroup H. It also discusses the implications of this theorem, including conditions under which subgroups remain normal and a special case for finite groups. Additionally, the document includes a proof of the existence of subgroups of specific orders in p-groups.

Uploaded by

aritra dey
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Correspondence Theorem for Groups

S. Kumaresan
School of Math. and Stat.
University of Hyderabad
Hyderabad 500046
[email protected]

Let G be a group and H a normal subgroup. Consider the quotient group G/H of left
cosets. Let π : G → G/H be the quotient map π(g) := gH. We prove the following theorem
and give its applications.

Theorem 1. Let G be a group and H a normal subgroup. Consider the quotient group G/H.
Let L be the set of all subgroups of G/H and K be the subgroups of G containing H. Then
the map
ϕ : L → K, given by L 7→ π −1 (L)
is a bijection.
Moreover, if L is a normal subgroup of G/K, then K := π −1 (L) is a normal subgroup of
G.
Finally, there is a bijection of π −1 (L) with L × H for any L ∈ L.

Proof. Let L ∈ L and let K := π −1 (L). We show that K is a subgroup of G. Let x, y ∈ K.


That is, x, y ∈ π −1 (L). Hence π(x), π(y) ∈ L. Hence π(xy) = π(x)π(y) ∈ L, since L is
a subgroup. This means that xy ∈ π −1 (L) = K. Similarly, if x ∈ K, π(x) ∈ L so that
π(x)−1 ∈ L. Since π is a group homomorphism, π(x)−1 = π(x−1 ). Thus, π(x−1 ) ∈ L or
x−1 ∈ K. Thus we have established that K is a subgroup of G. Also, if x ∈ H, π(x) = eH
and hence π −1 (e) = H ⊂ K. Thus K ∈ K.
We now show that if L is normal in G/H, then K := π −1 (L) is normal in G. Let x ∈ K
and g ∈ G. We have

π(gxg −1 ) = π(g)π(x)π(g −1 ) = π(g) · π(x) · π(g)−1 .

Since π(x) ∈ L and L is normal in G/H, it follows thatπ(g)π(x)π(g)−1 ∈ L. We therefore


conclude that π(gxg −1 ) ∈ L. This means that gxg −1 ∈ K. Hence K is normal in G.
We now show that that map ϕ is a one-one. Let L1 6= L2 ∈ L. Hence there exists
an element y in one of them and not in the other. Without loss of generality, assume that
y ∈ L2 \L1 . Since π is onto, there exists x ∈ G such that π(x) = y. We claim that x ∈ K2 \K1 .
Since π(x) = y ∈ L2 , we see that x ∈ K2 . If x ∈ K1 = π −1 (L1 ), it follows that y = π(x) ∈ L1 ,
a contradiction. Hence we conclude that ϕ : L → K is one-one.

1
We now claim that that ϕ is onto. Let K ∈ K. Let L := π(K). One easily shows that L is
a subgroup of G/H. We claim that K = π −1 (L) so that ϕ(L) = K. First of all, observe that
K ⊂ π −1 (L). For, if x ∈ K, then π(x) ∈ π(K) = L. Hence x ∈ π −1 (L). We now show that
π −1 (L) ⊂ K. Let x ∈ π −1 (L). Thus, π(x) = L. But since π(x) ∈ π(K), there exists g ∈ K
such that π(x) = gH. Recall that π(x) = xH, So we have xH = gH or g −1 x ∈ H. Since
H ⊂ K, we see that g −1 x ∈ K. By choice g ∈ K so that x = g(g −1 x) ∈ K. Thus x ∈ K. We
have therefore shown that π −1 (π(K)) = K. This establishes that ϕ is onto. We have thus
proved that ϕ : L → K is a bijection.
Let us now prove the last part. Let L := {gi H : i ∈ I}. We claim that π −1 (L) = {gi h :
i ∈ I, h ∈ H}. For, let x ∈ π −1 (L). Hence π(x) ∈ L. Thus we can find a j ∈ I such that
π(x) = gj H. But by the very definition of π, we have π(x) = xH. It follows that xH = gj H.
We deduce that gj−1 x ∈ H, say, gj−1 x = h. Thus x = gj h. Hence the claim is proved.
We now claim that all the elements in the set {gi h : i ∈ I, h ∈ H} are distinct. Let
gi h = gj h1 . We get gj−1 gi = h1 h−1 ∈ H. It follows that gi H = gj H and hence gi = gj . Since
gi h = gj h1 = gi h1 , we find that h = h1 . Thus the claim is proved. The map L × H → π −1 (L)
given by (gi H, h) 7→ gi h is a bijection.

A special case of the last part: if G is finite, we have |π −1 (L)| = |L||H|.


The result in the last part of the theorem is reminiscent of the following results from linear
algebra.
Let T : V → W be an onto linear map. Fix y ∈ W . Since T is onto, there is x ∈ V such
that T x = y. We claim that the set of all solutions of T x = y is the set x + ker T . For, if
z ∈ ker T , then T (x + z) = T z + T z = y + 0 = y. Hence x + ker T ⊂ T −1 (y). Conversely, if
v ∈ V satisfies T v = y, we than have T x − T v = 0 so that T (x − v) = 0. Thus, x − v ∈ ker T ,
say x − v = z ∈ ker T . We have v = x − z ∈ x + ker T .
Let us apply the last theorem.

Theorem 2. Let G be a group of order pn . Then for each r with 0 ≤ r ≤ n there exists a
subgroup of order pr .

Proof. The proof is by induction on n. When n = 1, we have |G| = p so that r = 0 or r = 1.


The subgroups are accordingly the trivial and full groups.
Assume that the result holds true for groups of order pn−1 when n ≥ 2.
Let G be a group of order pn . Since G is a p-group, its center Z(G) is not trivial so that
|Z(g)| = pr with r > 0. By Cauchy’s theorem, there exists an element a ∈ Z(G) of order p.
Since the cyclic group < a >⊂ Z(G), the subgroup < a > is normal in G. (For, if g ∈ G,
gai g −1 = ai gg −1 = ai , since ai commutes with all elements of G.)
The quotient group G/ < a > is of order pn−1 . Let 0 ≤ r ≤ n − 1. Then by indction
hypothesis, there exists a subgroup L ≤ G/ < a > whose order is pr . By the last result,
K := π −1 (L) is a subgroup of G of order |L|| < a > | = pr+1 . Thus G has subgroups of order
pr , 1 ≤ r ≤ n. The result is proved.

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