Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2013/ia/paper-3/1d/solution

Lagrange's theorem states that for a subgroup of a finite group , . In particular divides ; the equal-sized cosets partition .
Apply the theorem to inside both subgroups. Its order divides both coprime orders, so . For and , the group commutator lies in by being a normal subgroup, and in because . It is therefore the identity. Thus every element of commutes with every element of .
Define by . The cross-commutation just proved gives , so this is a group homomorphism from the direct product of groups. The product assumption makes it surjective. If , then , so both entries are the identity and the kernel of a group homomorphism is trivial. Hence
This proves the internal direct product theorem in the present coprime-order setting, rather than merely matching the numbers of elements.

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