If is the character of , then Burnside lemma applied to the diagonal action on gives
For a transitive action , this also equals the number of double cosets in .
For the order-eight dihedral group generated by of order four and of order two with , let . There are exactly three double cosets: , , and , of sizes two, two, and four. Their number does not divide eight. This differs from the number of ordinary cosets, which divides group order by Lagrange's theorem.
Double-coset Hecke algebra Created 2026-10-05 Updated 2026-10-06
For a group and subgroup such that every double coset has finitely many orbits under left multiplication by , this algebra consists of complex -bi-invariant functions on supported on finitely many double cosets. Its convolution is
The double coset indicator functions form a basis. On invariant modular functions it acts on the right by . For and , rational conjugation of finite-index modular subgroups verifies the finiteness condition. The determinant- Hecke operator uses the indicator of all integral determinant- matrices, not only a single double coset when is composite.
A double coset is generally not a subgroup, so Lagrange's theorem does not force its size to divide the ambient group order. In , take . Then has size two, while has size four, which does not divide six. The general size formula explains why different double cosets can have different sizes.
Here is the double-coset criterion for a one-point extension. Let , and suppose swaps and . Then is a one-point extension if and only if
For necessity, in an extension fixes both and , so normalizes it and lies in it. Since is transitive on , the extension has exactly two double cosets relative to : and . For , moves into and is in the latter double coset.
For sufficiency, the displayed conditions make closed under multiplication. Products with middle element in reduce using ; those with middle element outside remain in . A finite nonempty multiplication-closed set of permutations containing the identity is a group. It contains and , hence equals . Every element in moves , while fixes it, giving the required stabilizer subgroup. The group is transitive because is transitive on and moves the additional point.
False. Realize the symmetries of a square as a dihedral group of order eight, generated by and , with and . Take . Its double cosets are precisely
These are disjoint and exhaust the eight symmetries. There are three double cosets, and . This proves that double-coset counts need not divide group order. Specifying the order-eight realization avoids competing conventions for the notation of a dihedral group.
False. Use the same subgroups of . The double coset has two elements, while has four. Thus even a fixed pair of subgroups can give different double-coset sizes. Their disjoint union is all six elements of .