For a generator , Poincare duality and the Bockstein isomorphism for a three-dimensional lens space make nonzero. Replacing by multiplies by . An orientation-reversing homotopy equivalence multiplies the evaluation by , so its existence forces in for some .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2019 iii Paper 114 3 Solution 2026-10-03
An -orientation of a rank- real vector bundle is a locally coherent choice of generator of in every fibre. Equivalently, it is represented by a Thom class restricting to the chosen generator on each fibre pair. If is the Euler class, the Gysin sequence of its unit sphere bundle contains
The diagonal quotient defining is the three-dimensional lens space as a circle bundle with Euler class times a generator. With integral coefficients, the only nontrivial Euler-class map is multiplication by . Exactness givesModulo , the Euler class vanishes, so the same Gysin sequence giveswith all other groups zero.
For the coefficient sequence , the long exact sequence from a coefficient sequence containsThe last map is zero and both middle groups have order , so is an isomorphism. Reduction is likewise an isomorphism. Their composite is the Bockstein isomorphism for a three-dimensional lens space
If is another generator, linearity of the Bockstein homomorphism and bilinearity of the cup product giveMoreover : is nonzero, and the Poincare duality pairing is nondegenerate. If is an orientation-reversing homotopy equivalence and , naturality givesCancelling the nonzero yields . Thus must be a quadratic residue modulo .