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Conference rusure::math

Title:Mathematics at DEC
Moderator:RUSURE::EDP
Created:Mon Feb 03 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2083
Total number of notes:14613

891.0. "Two More Friday Afternoon Problems." by HPSTEK::XIA () Fri Jun 24 1988 15:49

    Well it is Friday again, and I will post some more interesting problems
    here.  Again there will be two problems.  One relatively easy and
    the other a bit hard.  The first one is from _Problems in Group
    Theory_ by Dixon.  The second one is from Baby-Rudin again (I took
    a course with that book, and I am posting the problems that I think
    are interesting.)
    
    1.  Prove:  If H is a subgroup of finite index in a group G, 
    then H contains a subgroup N which is of finite index and normal 
    in G. 
    (Comment:  This problem is not hard if you choose the right candidate
    for N, and the candidate is intuitively clear.)
    
    2.  Let a, b be real numbers and 0 < a < b.
        Let f: R^2-->R^3 defined as: 
        f(s,t) = ((b+a*cos(s))*cos(t), (b+a*cos(s))*sin(t), a*sin(s))
        Let K be the range of f.
        Let L b a fixed irrational number.  Let g: R --> R^3 such that
        g(t) = f(t, L*t).
        Prove g is one to one and the image of g is dense in K.
    (Comment:  This problem is again intuitively clear.  However, it
    is not easy to give a rigorous proof.  When I took the course, this   
    problem was assigned as a homework problem.  It took me almost an 
    entire day to figure it out.  Beware of hand waving proof!)
    Hint:  The image of f is a torus.  Draw some pictures.
           Everything is in R^3. 
    
    Have fun!
    Eugene
    
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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891.1CTCADM::ROTHIf you plant ice you&#039;ll harvest windMon Jun 27 1988 08:3217
�   1.  Prove:  If H is a subgroup of finite index in a group G, 
�   then H contains a subgroup N which is of finite index and normal 
�   in G. 
�   (Comment:  This problem is not hard if you choose the right candidate
�   for N, and the candidate is intuitively clear.)

    Am I a total idiot - or is it enough to remark that any subgroup contains
    the identity?

�    2.  Let a, b be real numbers and 0 < a < b.
�    etc...

    The hand wave is that the map is ergodic - just work on a unit square
    (fundamental domain for the covering surface of a torus), then it should
    be pretty easy...  imbedding in R3 is sort of a red herring.

    - Jim
891.2HPSTEK::XIAMon Jun 27 1988 11:2614
    Re .1
    Problem 1:
    Yes <e> is indeed a subgroup and is normal in G, but <e> is not
    necessary of finite index in G.
    
    Problem 2:
    Well, indeed it is a problem of ergodics.  I have never studied the
    subject; therefore, I feel uncomfortable stating the problem in
    such form.  The torus may or may not be a red herring (I am just not
    sure, but chances are you are right.).  When I did it, I remember 
    reducing the problem to proving the ergodicity (sp?) of certain 
    fucntions on a circle (Warning: I am sure there are many ways of doing 
    this problem. Do not spend a week reducing the problem in circle :-).
    Eugene
891.3Parse trees :-)ZFC::DERAMOFor all you do, disk bugs for you.Fri Jul 08 1988 20:3920
     Re .0:
     
>>   (Comment:  This problem is not hard if you choose the right candidate     
>>   for N, and the candidate is intuitively clear.)
     
     This does not mean:
     
          The problem is not hard if you choose the right candidate.
     and
          The [right] candidate is intuitively clear.
     
     Instead, what it must mean is:
     
           The problem is not hard if:
     
                if you choose the right candidate
           and
                if the candidate is intuitively clear.
     
     Dan
891.4grovel: v. To humble oneself abjectly; cringeZFC::DERAMOHello, world\nThu Jul 21 1988 20:0913
>>    1.  Prove:  If H is a subgroup of finite index in a group G, 
>>    then H contains a subgroup N which is of finite index and normal 
>>    in G. 
>>    (Comment:  This problem is not hard if you choose the right candidate
>>    for N, and the candidate is intuitively clear.)
     
     What about, you post the candidate and we supply the
     proof?
     
     Dan
     
     P.S.  "finite index" means there are only finitely many
     cosets of the subgroup.
891.5The CandidateHPSTEK::XIAMon Jul 25 1988 12:227
    re .4
    Well, you take all the groups of the form g^(-1)Hg (The conjugates)
    and intersect all of them.  That gives you a group.  That is the
    candidate (You need a normal group, so you push H all over the
    place by doing g^(-1)Hg, so....).
    Hope that is some help.
    Eugene
891.6LISP::DERAMODaniel V. {AITG,LISP,ZFC}:: D&#039;EramoTue Aug 16 1988 19:2514
     The results that
                                       -1       -1
          a) for each g in G, the set g  Hg = {g  hg | h is in H}
             is a subgroup (called the conjugate subgroup)

          b) the intersection of subgroups is a subgroup
     
     are fairly straightforward to show.  Here, showing that
     this particular intersection gives a normal subgroup
     of G isn't difficult, either.
     
     But I haven't shown yet that it has finite index. :-(
     
     Dan     
891.7HPSTEK::XIAFri Aug 19 1988 14:127
    re .6
    Hi Dan,
         Glad to hear that someone is still trying.  I have long given up 
    the practice of posting Friday afternoon problem....  Oh well, I
    will give another hint.  There can be only finitely many distinct
    groups of the form g^(-1)Hg.....
    Eugene
891.8Solution to problem No. 1HPSTEK::XIASat Apr 22 1989 01:0836
Notation:  Let A, B be sets, Let AYB denotes the intesection of A and B.

Lemma 1:  Let G be a group and H, K be subgroups of finite indices, 
          then HYK is also of finite indices.  

proof:    Let {gi}, 1 <= i <= N such that U(Kgi) = G.  (U means union).
          Now for each i, if (Kgi)YH != nil, let hi be in (Kgi)YH.
          then U(Khi) contains H.  Let h be in H.  Then h = khi for some
          k in K and hi in H.  ==> k = (hi)^(-1)h ==> k is in H. ==>
          U((KYH)hi) = H.  Since H is also of finite index, we have KYH
          is also of finite index. Q.E.D.

Lemma 2:  Let K be a subgroup of G.  Let g be an element
          of G.  If g is in Hgi for some i, then the congugate group 
          g^(-1)Hg is equal to gi^(-1)Hgi.  

proof:    Since g is in Hgi, g = hgi for some h in H.  g^(-1)Hg = 
          (hgi)^(-1)H(hgi) = gi^(-1)(h^(-1)Hh)gi = gi^(-1)Hgi.
          Hence, if H is of finite indices, the conjugacy class of
          H is finite.

Lemma 3:  N = Y(g^(-1)Hg) is normal in g where the intesection ranges over
          all G.

proof:    Let x, g be an elements of G.  Let n be an element of N.  Then
          by definition, n = xg^(-1)h(xg^(-1))^(-1) for some h in H.  ==>
          x^(-1)nx = x^(-1)xg^(-1)hgx^(-1)x = g^(-1)hg.  Hence, x^(-1)nx
          belongs to g^(-1)Hg for all g in G. ==> x^(-1)nx is in N ==>
          N is normal.

Now lemma 3 gives a normal group N of G.  Obviously since H is of finite 
index, g^(-1)Hg also has finite index for all g in G.  Lemma 2 says that
there are only finite many elements in the conjugacy class of H.  
By Lemma 1 and induction, we conclude that N is also of finite index. Q.E.D
 
Eugene