Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2001 / ia / Paper 3 / 8D (Algebra and Geometry)

Compose permutations from right to left. The indicated cycle lengths immediately give $X^3=P^2=Q^2=e$. Under conjugation, $X^{-1}(ab)X=(X^{-1}a{X}^{-1}b)$. Since $X^{-1}$ sends $1,2,3$ to $3,1,2$ and fixes $4$,Direct composition also gives $PQ=QP=(14)(23)$. Thus $V=\{e,P,Q,PQ\}$ is a Klein four-group. Conjugation by $X$ cycles its three nonidentity elements, so $X$ normalizes $V$.

The cosets $V,VX,V{X}^2$ have four elements each and are distinct. If two coincided, a nontrivial power of $X$ would belong to $V$, impossible because it has order three whereas every nonidentity element of $V$ has order two. Hence the subgroup generated by $X,P,Q$ contains at least twelve elements. These generators are even permutations, so the subgroup lies in the alternating group $A_4$, whose order is $4!/2=12$; multiplying by one fixed transposition pairs even and odd permutations to justify this count. ThereforeThe calculation also describes $A_4$ as the semidirect product $V⋊⟨X⟩$, with the order-three factor permuting the three involutions.

The direct product of groups uses componentwise multiplication:Associativity follows in each factor. The maps $g\mapsto (g,e_H)$ and $h\mapsto (e_G,h)$ are injective group homomorphisms onto subgroups, giving the required copies of $G$ and $H$.

Use the PDF's convention that the subscript in $D_n$ is the group order. Write the hexagon group as $D_{12}=⟨r,s\mid r^6=s^2=e,srs=r^{-1}⟩$ and the triangle group as $D_6=⟨a,b\mid a^3=b^2=e,bab=a^{-1}⟩$. Let $z$ generate $C_2$. In $D_{12}$, $r^2$ has order three and $s$ conjugates it to its inverse, so $⟨r^2,s⟩$ is a copy of $D_6$. The element $r^3$ has order two and is central, since $s{r}^{3}s=r^{-3}=r^3$.

DefineThe generator relations are preserved and $r^3$ commutes with the other images, so $\Phi$ is a group homomorphism from the direct product. The six residues $2i+3k$ are distinct modulo six: reduction modulo two first determines $k$, then reduction modulo three determines $i$. Together with $j$, they give all twelve distinct normal forms $r^m{s}^j$ in $D_{12}$. Thus $\Phi$ is bijective andThis is the dihedral splitting when the half-rotation order is odd with half-rotation order three.

Finally, $D_{12}$ contains an element of order six, namely $r$. The even cycle types on four symbols are the identity, a 3-cycle, and two disjoint transpositions; their orders are respectively one, three and two. Therefore $A_4$ has no element of order six. Since a group isomorphism preserves element orders,