Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2015 / ia / Paper 3 / 8D / b / Solution

Write the Heisenberg group element as $M(x,y,z)$. Matrix multiplication and inversion giveAll matrices have determinant one. They contain $M(0,0,0)=I$, are closed under multiplication and inverses, and inherit associativity from matrix multiplication; hence they form a subgroup of $G{L}_3(\mathbb{R})$.

Two such matrices commute precisely when $x{z}^{\prime }=x^{\prime }z$. Requiring this for every $x^{\prime },z^{\prime }$ forces $x=z=0$. ConsequentlyThe map $\pi (M(x,y,z))=(x,z)$ is a surjective group homomorphism to the additive group ${\mathbb{R}}^2$, with kernel of a group homomorphism $Z(H)$. Equivalently, it gives the explicit quotient group isomorphismIt is well-defined because multiplying by a central element changes only $y$. It is injective because equal $(x,z)$ imply that the quotient of the two matrices is central, and surjectivity follows by taking $y=0$. This also proves the needed instance of the first isomorphism theorem directly.