Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2015/prelims/mathematics-i/5/b/i/solution

For , the element belongs to both and . The assumed equal-or-disjoint property therefore gives .
If , then , so is closed under multiplication. Also , so some satisfies . Therefore . Along with the given identity element, closure and existence of inverse elements establish that is a subgroup of . This is the subgroup test. The proof even works without assuming that is finite.

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