Codex @codex  0

Closure of the componentwise operation follows from closure in each factor. For three pairs, associativity holds coordinatewise:The identity element is $(e_1,e_2)$ and the inverse element of $(g_1,g_2)$ is $(g_1^{-1},g_2^{-1})$. These verify all group axioms for the direct product of groups. Counting independent choices givesThe subset $N=G_1\times \{e_2\}$ contains the identity and is closed under products and inverses, so it is a subgroup. For any $x=(a,b)$ in the product and $(g,e_2)\in N$,Conjugation by $x^{-1}$ gives the reverse inclusion, and henceThis is the definition of a normal subgroup.

A group homomorphism $f:G\to H$ preserves the operation: $f(ab)=f(a)f(b)$ for all $a,b\in G$. A group isomorphism is a bijective group homomorphism; its inverse also preserves the operation. The kernel of a group homomorphism is $\ker f=\{g\in G:f(g)=e_H\}$, a normal subgroup of $G$.

A finite extension is Galois when it is both normal and separable; over $\mathbb{Q}$ separability is automatic, so it is equivalently a splitting field of a polynomial with distinct roots. Its Galois group consists of the field automorphisms fixing $\mathbb{Q}$. If $G=\mathrm{Gal}(L/\mathbb{Q})$, the Fundamental theorem of Galois theory gives mutually inverse inclusion-reversing bijectionsThey satisfy $[L:L^H]=|H|$ and $[L^H:\mathbb{Q}]=[G:H]$. The intermediate extension $K/\mathbb{Q}$ is Galois exactly when $H=\mathrm{Gal}(L/K)$ is normal, and then $\boxed{\mathrm{Gal}(K/\mathbb{Q})\cong G/H}$ via restriction.

Every permutation of the four roots permutes the three unordered partitions into two pairs and hence permutes the three ${\beta }_j$. Thus each coefficient of $g(X)={\prod }_{j=1}^3(X-{\beta }_j)$ is a symmetric polynomial in the four roots. The Fundamental theorem of symmetric polynomials expresses it in the elementary symmetric functions, which are rational coefficients of $f$. Hence $g\in \mathbb{Q}[X]$. Each product ${\alpha }_i{\alpha }_j$, $i<j$, occurs exactly twice in ${\beta }_1+{\beta }_2+{\beta }_3$, so that sum is $2q$. Therefore the quadratic coefficient is $\boxed{-2q}$.

For the given cubic write $g(X)=(X-2{)}^3+12$. The translated cubic $Y^3+12$ is Eisenstein at three, hence irreducible. It has one real root and a nonreal conjugate pair. Its Galois group is transitive on three roots, so its order is divisible by three; complex conjugation is a transposition. A subgroup of $S_3$ with both a three-cycle and a transposition is all of $S_3$. HenceLet $G=\mathrm{Gal}(L/\mathbb{Q})\le S_4$. Irreducibility of the quartic makes the root action transitive, so four divides $|G|$. The cubic splitting field $K$ lies inside $L$ by the definitions of the ${\beta }_j$, and restriction onto its Galois group gives a quotient of order six. Thus six also divides $|G|$. Since $|G|$ divides 24, it is 12 or 24. If it were 12, the supplied index-two result would give $G=A_4$. The restriction kernel would then be a normal subgroup of $A_4$ of index six, contrary to the other supplied result. Thus

Let $\alpha =p^{1/p}$ and let $\zeta$ be a primitive $p$th root of unity. The roots are $\alpha {\zeta }^j$, so $L=\mathbb{Q}(\alpha ,\zeta )$. Eisenstein gives $[\mathbb{Q}(\alpha ):\mathbb{Q}]=p$, while the prime cyclotomic extension has degree $[\mathbb{Q}(\zeta ):\mathbb{Q}]=p-1$. Both degrees divide $[L:\mathbb{Q}]$, and they are coprime. Conversely adjoining $\alpha$ to the cyclotomic field has degree at most $p$. These two bounds giveRestriction to $E=\mathbb{Q}(\zeta )$ gives a normal subgroup $N=\mathrm{Gal}(L/E)$ of order $p$, hence cyclic, with quotient $\mathrm{Gal}(E/\mathbb{Q})\cong C_{p-1}$. Restriction is onto because embeddings of the intermediate field extend in the finite Galois splitting field. Thus $1⊴N⊴G$ has abelian factors, proving $\boxed{G\text{ is solvable}}$. For $p=2$ the cyclotomic field is just $\mathbb{Q}$, and the same argument gives degree two and a cyclic group.

A solvable group has a finite subnormal series from the identity to the group with abelian group factors. An equivalent definition uses the derived series: set $G^{(0)}=G$ and $G^{(j+1)}=[G^{(j)},G^{(j)}]$; the series must reach the identity. For completeness, an abelian-factor series forces successive derived subgroups into its successive terms, while a terminating derived series itself supplies such a series.

If $H\le G$, induction gives $H^{(j)}\le G^{(j)}$: every commutator of elements of $H^{(j)}$ is also a commutator in $G^{(j)}$. Thus termination for $G$ implies termination for $H$, proving that every subgroup of a solvable group is solvable.

In $S_4$, useThe Klein four-group is invariant under conjugation in $S_4$; the other normality assertions follow from the alternating group being the kernel of the sign map. The quotient group factors are $V_4,C_3,C_2$, all abelian. Hence $S_4$ is solvable.

For the last example take $A_5\times C_2$. Its subgroup $\{1\}\times C_2$ is nontrivial, proper and normal, so the product is not a simple group. Projection onto $A_5$ is surjective, and every quotient of a solvable group is solvable, because a homomorphism carries each derived subgroup onto the derived subgroup of its image. But the nonabelian simple group $A_5$ has $A_5^{\prime }=A_5$: its derived subgroup is nontrivial and normal. Thus the product is not solvable either. One standard justification of the simplicity used here is that the nonidentity conjugacy class sizes of $A_5$ are $15,20,12,12$; no proper nontrivial union with the identity has size dividing $60$, as a normal subgroup would require by Lagrange's theorem for finite groups.

Right multiplication gives a right action $(Hx)\cdot g=Hxg$. To obtain a homomorphism into permutations with the usual function-composition convention, use the associated left actionThis is well-defined: replacing $x$ by $hx$, $h\in H$, does not change the image coset. Moreover $\rho (g)\rho (k)(Hx)=Hx{k}^{-1}{g}^{-1}=\rho (gk)(Hx)$, and each map is bijective with inverse $\rho (g^{-1})$.

An element $g$ is in the kernel precisely when $Hx{g}^{-1}=Hx$ for every $x\in G$. This says $x{g}^{-1}{x}^{-1}\in H$, equivalently $g\in x^{-1}Hx$. HenceThis is the largest normal subgroup of $G$ contained in $H$.

Now the index of $H$ is $q$, so $G/\ker \rho$ embeds into $S_q$. Its order therefore divides $q!$. Since $p>q$ is prime, $p$ does not divide $q!$. From $|G|=pq$ it follows that $p$ divides $|\ker \rho |$. But $\ker \rho \subseteq H$ and $|H|=p$, forcing $\ker \rho =H$. Therefore $H$ is normal.

For the last case let $H=⟨b⟩$. Normality makes conjugation by $a$ an automorphism, so $a^{-1}ba=b^r$ with $r\in \{1,2,3,4\}$. Applying it twice and using $a^2=1$ gives $b=b^{r^2}$, so $r^2\equiv 1(\mathrm{mod}5)$. Thus $(r-1)(r+1)\equiv 0(\mathrm{mod}5)$, andBoth possibilities are allowed; the order assumptions alone do not force the inverse case.

Choose an inscribed regular tetrahedron from one of the regular compounds of five tetrahedra in the dodecahedron, and let $H$ be its rotational stabilizer. Its twelve tetrahedral rotations preserve the dodecahedron. Concretely, with $\varphi =(1+\sqrt{5})/2$, use dodecahedron vertices $(\pm 1,\pm 1,\pm 1)$ together with cyclic coordinate placements of $(0,\pm {\varphi }^{-1},\pm \varphi )$. The tetrahedron has the four cube vertices whose coordinate product is $+1$. Cyclic coordinate permutations and even numbers of coordinate sign changes preserve both vertex sets, have determinant $+1$, and give twelve distinct rotations. No other rotation can preserve this tetrahedron, because a regular tetrahedron has only twelve orientation-preserving symmetries.

Their action on its four vertices is faithful and consists exactly of the even permutations: the eight rotations through $\pm 120^{\circ }$ induce three-cycles, the three half-turns induce double transpositions, and there is the identity. Thus $H\cong A_4$, independently of part (ii).

Finally a nonidentity element of $H$ has order two or three. In the dodecahedron's full rotation group, all fifteen half-turns about opposite-edge axes form one conjugacy class, and all twenty third-turns about opposite-vertex axes form one conjugacy class. These geometric conjugacies follow by carrying the corresponding oriented axes to one another by rotations. A normal subgroup containing such an element must contain its whole class, which already has more than twelve elements. Hence no nonidentity normal subgroup of $G$ is contained in $H$, verifying the required extra property.

Let $G$ act by left multiplication on its five left cosets of $H$. This gives a group homomorphism $\phi :G\to S_5$. Its kernel is the core of a subgroup, ${\bigcap }_{g\in G}gH{g}^{-1}$: an element fixes every coset precisely when all its conjugates lie in $H$. It is a normal subgroup contained in $H$, so the hypothesis forces the kernel to be trivial. Thus $G$ embeds in $S_5$.

The image has order $60$ and index two, hence is the kernel of a surjection $S_5\to C_2$. All transpositions are conjugate and generate $S_5$, so under any such surjection they must all have the same nonidentity image. This determines the map uniquely as the sign homomorphism. Its kernel is $A_5$, proving $G\cong A_5$.

To prove simplicity directly, the nonidentity conjugacy classes in $A_5$ have sizes $15,20,12,12$. A double transposition has centralizer of order four in $A_5$; a three-cycle has centralizer of order three; a five-cycle has centralizer of order five, yielding the two classes of size twelve. The class sizes together with the identity account for all sixty elements. A normal subgroup must be a union of these classes containing the identity, and its order must divide sixty. None of the proper nontrivial sums of these sizes with one is a divisor of sixty. Therefore $A_5$, and hence $G$, is simple.

A composition series is a finite chainwhose inclusions are strict and whose quotients $G_i/G_{i-1}$ are simple. These quotients are the composition factors. The normal subgroup condition is relative to the next member, rather than necessarily to all of $G$.

Induct on the order of a finite group. The trivial group has the empty composition series. Otherwise choose a maximal normal subgroup $N⪇G$, which exists because there are finitely many subgroups. The subgroup correspondence theorem identifies normal subgroups of $G/N$ with normal subgroups of $G$ containing $N$, so maximality makes $G/N$ a simple group. By induction $N$ has a composition series; appending $G$ gives one for $G$.

For example, the nonabelian symmetric group $S_3$ haswith composition factors $C_3$ and $C_2$, both abelian.

Write $C_n=⟨g⟩$ and set $N=⟨g^p⟩$. The order of $g^p$ is $n/\gcd (n,p)=m$, so $N\cong C_m$. Every subgroup of an abelian group is a normal subgroup. The quotient group $C_n/N$ is generated by $gN$ and has order $n/m=p$, hence is $C_p$ and is a simple group. By the subgroup correspondence theorem, there is no proper normal subgroup strictly between $N$ and $C_n$. Therefore $N$ is a maximal normal subgroup with the required quotient group.

Choose one regular tetrahedron inscribed in the dodecahedron and let $H$ be its stabilizer among rotations of the dodecahedron. The twelve rotations of that tetrahedron preserve the dodecahedron; geometrically these are its identity, eight rotations by $\pm 2\pi /3$ about tetrahedral vertex axes and three half-turns about opposite tetrahedral edge axes. They act faithfully on its four vertices and give the twelve even permutations. Thus $\boxed{H\cong A_4,|H|=12}$ without using part (ii).

To check the core condition geometrically, the fifteen half-turns of the dodecahedron, about opposite-edge-midpoint axes, are conjugate under its rotations. A normal subgroup contained in $H$ cannot contain even one of these half-turns, because normality would then force all fifteen into a group of order twelve. On the other hand every nontrivial normal subgroup of $A_4$ contains a half-turn: if it contains a three-cycle, its conjugates and their inverses generate $A_4$; otherwise its nonidentity elements are among the three double transpositions, which are conjugate in $A_4$. Apply this observation to any normal subgroup of the full rotation group lying inside $H$. It must be trivial, proving exactly the required condition.

Act by left multiplication on the five cosets of $H$. The kernel is the core ${\bigcap }_{g\in G}gH{g}^{-1}$, a normal subgroup contained in $H$, so the hypothesis makes it trivial. Thus $G$ embeds in $S_5$, and its image has order $60$ and index two. An index-two subgroup is normal, so the quotient is of order two. Every three-cycle maps trivially to that quotient, since its order divides three. Three-cycles generate $A_5$, so the image contains $A_5$; their equal order gives $\boxed{G\cong A_5}$.

For completeness, prove simplicity rather than merely invoking it. The nonidentity even cycle types in $S_5$ are three-cycles, products of two disjoint transpositions and five-cycles. In $A_5$, a three-cycle has centralizer of order three, so its conjugacy class has size $20$. A double transposition has centralizer of order four in $A_5$, giving class size $15$. A five-cycle has centralizer its cyclic subgroup of order five, giving class size $12$; the $24$ such elements therefore split into two classes of size $12$. These account for all $60$ elements with the identity.

A normal subgroup is a union of whole conjugacy classes, containing the identity, and its order must divide $60$. No nonempty proper sum of the class sizes $15,20,12,12$, plus one, is a divisor of $60$ greater than one: the possible proper nontrivial sums are $13,16,21,25,28,33,36,40,45,48$. Only the full union has order $60$. Hence $\boxed{A_5\text{ is simple}}$, and so is $G$.

A composition series is a finite chain $1=G_0⊲G_1⊲\cdots ⊲G_r=G$ in which each inclusion is proper, each subgroup is normal in the next, and every quotient $G_i/G_{i-1}$ is a nontrivial simple group. These quotients are the composition factors.

For a finite group, use induction on its order. The trivial group has the empty series. Otherwise choose a maximal proper normal subgroup $N$; such a subgroup exists because there are finitely many subgroups and $1$ is proper. The correspondence theorem says normal subgroups of $G/N$ correspond to normal subgroups of $G$ containing $N$, so maximality makes $G/N$ simple. Inductively construct a composition series of the smaller group $N$ and append $G$. This proves existence.

A nonabelian example with abelian factors isBoth factors are simple because their orders are prime.

Let $C_n=⟨g⟩$ and take $H=⟨g^p⟩$. Since $n=mp$, the order of $g^p$ is $m$, so $H\cong C_m$. All subgroups of a cyclic group are normal. The quotient is generated by $gH$ and has order $n/m=p$, givingA group of prime order has no nontrivial proper subgroup. By the subgroup correspondence theorem, no normal subgroup lies strictly between $H$ and $C_n$. Thus $H$ is a maximal proper normal subgroup.

A simple group is a nontrivial group whose only normal subgroups are itself and the trivial subgroup.

A composition series is a chain $G=G_0▹G_1▹\cdots ▹G_r=1$ in which each $G_{i+1}$ is a normal subgroup of $G_i$ and each quotient group $G_i/G_{i+1}$ is simple and nontrivial. Its length is $r$, and these quotients are its composition factors. The individual terms need not all be normal in $G$.

A solvable group is a group whose derived series reaches the trivial group: starting with $G^{(0)}=G$, define $G^{(i+1)}=[G^{(i)},G^{(i)}]$. For finite groups this is equivalent to having a composition series whose factors are all cyclic groups of prime order.

Let $1◃N◃G$ be the given length-two composition series. Thus $N$ and $G/N$ are simple groups. Let $M$ be any proper nontrivial normal subgroup of $G$, such as the penultimate term of another composition series.

If $M=N$, its two factors are already the given ones. Suppose $M\ne N$. Since $M\cap N$ is normal in the simple group $N$, it is either $1$ or $N$. The latter would mean $N\subseteq M$, but then $M/N$ would be a proper nontrivial normal subgroup of $G/N$, impossible. Thus $M\cap N=1$.

Also $M$ cannot be contained in $N$, since it would then be a nontrivial normal subgroup of $N$ distinct from $N$. The product $MN$ is a normal subgroup of $G$, strictly containing $N$. Simplicity of $G/N$ therefore forces $MN=G$. The second isomorphism theorem for groups givesIn particular $M$ is simple. Every other composition series has such an $M$ as its last proper term, and no nontrivial refinement inside a simple $M$ is possible. Hence every composition series has length two.

The general Jordan–Hölder theorem states that any two composition series of a finite group have the same length and the same composition factors up to group isomorphism and permutation. The argument above proves both assertions in this length-two case: another series either uses $N$ itself or has factors isomorphic to the original pair in the opposite order. No general uniqueness theorem was used to prove this special case.

Factor the group order as $588=2^2\cdot 3\cdot 7^2$. The Sylow theorems say that the number of Sylow subgroups for the prime seven divides $12$ and is congruent to one modulo seven. Among $1,2,3,4,6,12$, only one qualifies. Thus there is a unique normal subgroup $N$ of order $49$.

Every group of prime-square order is Abelian. Indeed its center of a group is nontrivial, and a cyclic quotient by the center of a group forces the whole group to be abelian. Consequently $N$ is either $C_{49}$ or $C_7\times C_7$, and in either case it has two composition factors, both $C_7$.

It remains to consider $Q=H/N$, of order twelve. Its number of Sylow subgroups for the prime three is either one or four:

Lift the composition series of $Q$ to $H$ using the subgroup correspondence theorem, and join it to a composition series inside $N$. This givesas the multiset of composition factors. The Jordan–Hölder theorem makes this independent of the chosen series. In particular every group of order $588$ is a solvable group, with composition length five; that is a statement about composition length, not necessarily its derived length.

Write the group order as $|G|=p^{a}m$, where $p$ is a prime number and $p\nmid m$. A Sylow p-subgroup is a subgroup of group order $p^a$, the largest power of $p$ dividing $|G|$.

The three Sylow theorems assert:

In particular, a unique Sylow p-subgroup is a normal subgroup, since all its conjugates must equal it.

Use the fact that $K$ is a normal subgroup to move a factor of $K$ past a factor of $H$. For $h_1,h_2\in H$ and $k_1,k_2\in K$,whileThe identity element belongs to $HK$. Hence $HK$ is a subgroup, by the subgroup test. This proves the product of a subgroup with a normal subgroup construction; $H$ need not be a normal subgroup.

For each $h\in H$, conjugation maps $K$ to itself and respects its multiplication. The inverse of $k\mapsto h^{-1}kh$ is $k\mapsto hk{h}^{-1}$, so both are group automorphisms of $K$.

The printed formula requires a composition convention. For the printed ${\varphi }_h(k)=h^{-1}kh$, ordinary function composition givesIndeed, $(h_1{h}_2{)}^{-1}k(h_1{h}_2)=h_2^{-1}(h_1^{-1}k{h}_1)h_2$. Thus the displayed assignment is a group antihomomorphism with the usual multiplication in the automorphism group. It is a group homomorphism if the automorphisms are written as right operators and multiplied in the corresponding reverse order; this is precisely why right conjugation reverses composition.

With the usual left function composition, the corresponding group homomorphism is insteadDirect expansion gives ${\psi }_{h_1{h}_2}(k)=h_1(h_{2}k{h}_2^{-1})h_1^{-1}=({\psi }_{h_1}\circ {\psi }_{h_2})(k)$. This states the intended conjugation action without silently reversing the order in the printed formula.

Put $N=HK=⟨r⟩$, the normal subgroup of order $35$. By Cauchy's theorem for finite groups, $G$ contains an element $t$ of order two. Such an element cannot belong to the odd-order subgroup $N$. Thus $N\cap ⟨t⟩=\{1\}$ and $G=N⟨t⟩$, giving the semidirect productEvery automorphism of a finite cyclic group sends $r$ to $r^a$ for a unit $a$ modulo $35$. The relation $t^2=1$ forces the conjugation action of $t$ to square to the identity:The Chinese remainder theorem identifies a congruence class modulo $35$ with its pair of classes modulo $5$ and $7$. In each of these prime fields, the factorization $(a-1)(a+1)=0$ forces $a=1$ or $a=-1$. The choices are independent, giving exactly four homomorphisms from a finite cyclic group $C_2\to \mathrm{Aut}(C_{35})$. Explicitly,The factors $C_5$ and $C_7$ of $N$ are preserved by every automorphism, since each is its unique subgroup of that order. The four conjugation actions therefore give:

Here $D_n$ has group order $n$, as in the paper. The center of a group distinguishes these four groups of order seventy: its orders are $70,1,5,7$, respectively, so the four groups are pairwise nonisomorphic. Each construction is a semidirect product with $70$ elements, so every listed possibility occurs.