Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2014/prelims/mathematics-i/5/a/iii/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Oxford 2014 Prelims Mathematics I 5 a iii Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-31
Lagrange's theorem states that for a subgroup of a finite group ,where is the index of a subgroup, the number of its left cosets. In particular, divides .
The cyclic subgroup consists of the distinct elements , where . Every power reduces to one of these by the Euclidean division, and a repetition among them would contradict minimality of . Thus . Applying Lagrange's theorem gives
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