Infinite cyclic group 2026-09-24
An infinite cyclic group is generated by an element of infinite order and is isomorphic to the additive group of integers.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2006 iii Paper 29 2 v Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
We can use reduction instead of expanding a very large rational addition formula. Modulo , both and reduce to , which generates the three-element reduced group. The reduction homomorphism therefore givesThe rational point is not any of the three torsion points just found, so it has infinite order. In particular : otherwise multiplication by three would give .
If had integral coordinates, its affine integral representative would reduce to an affine point modulo , not to the point at infinity. This contradicts its reduction to . ThusIndeed, it is not even integral at . This is a reduction certificate for a nonintegral elliptic point, with the crucial nonidentity condition verified by the torsion calculation.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 iii Paper 133 1 b Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Introduce . The presentation may be written as the HNN extensionof the Baumslag-Solitar group , with stable letter identifying the infinite cyclic subgroups and . Britton's lemma embeds the base group in the HNN extension. In particular, has infinite order, so is infinite. It is also nonabelian because .