Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2007/ib/paper-4/11g/ii/solution

The face action gives , as calculated above. Every normal subgroup contains the identity and is a union of whole conjugacy classes. Thus its possible order is plus a subset sum of . The distinct resulting numbers are
By Lagrange's theorem for finite groups, a subgroup order divides . Only and in this list do so. Consequently the normal subgroups are and , and the rotational symmetry group of a regular icosahedron is a simple group.

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