Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-algebra-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2009/b/4/a/ii/solution

The map partitions into disjoint two-element sets , so is even. Since is even, is even as well. This complement contains the identity and consists of elements with . It therefore contains at least one further element , and that element has order two. Thus every finite group of even order contains an involution, without using Cauchy theorem for groups.

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