For a finite group and a subgroup , Lagrange's theorem states
In particular divides : the left cosets partition , and multiplication by a representative is a bijection from to each coset. Apply this to the cyclic subgroup . Its size is the order of a group element , so every element order divides .
Under the square condition, every group element is its own inverse element. Consequently
for all . This proves that a group of exponent two is abelian, including the trivial group.
For the fourth-power condition a counterexample to commutativity is the quaternion group
Here and . Thus its six elements outside have order of a group element four, while and have orders one and two. All fourth powers are the identity, yet .
No such nonabelian group exists. Every element, including the identity, satisfies , so . For any ,
Therefore the group is an abelian group. This proves that a group of exponent two is abelian without any finiteness assumption.