Torsion-freeness from one nonidentity conjugacy class

ID: torsion-freeness-from-one-nonidentity-conjugacy-class

If an infinite group has a single nonidentity conjugacy class, it is a torsion-free group. Otherwise every nonidentity element has the same finite order . Powers show is prime. For , choose ; then gives , impossible by Fermat's little theorem. For , the group has exponent two and is abelian, so every conjugacy class is a singleton and the hypothesis would force the group to have only two elements. Infinitude excludes this final case.

New to topics? Read the docs here!