Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2023 / ia / Paper 3 / 5D (Groups)

The Lagrange theorem states that $|H|$ divides $|G|$ for every subgroup $H$ of a finite group $G$, with $|G|=|G:H||H|$. The left cosets partition $G$, and multiplication by a representative bijects $H$ with each coset, proving the formula.

The intersection $H\cap K$ contains the identity and is closed under $x{y}^{-1}$, so it is a subgroup. Its order divides both $|H|$ and $|K|$; if these are coprime, $H\cap K=\{e\}$.

The order $o(x)$ is the least positive $m$ with $x^m=e$. Division $k=qm+r$, $0\le r<m$, shows that $x^k=e$ exactly when $r=0$, so exactly when $o(x)\mid k$.

If $x,y$ commute and have coprime orders $m,n$, then $(xy{)}^{mn}=e$. Conversely $(xy{)}^r=e$ implies $x^r=y^{-r}$ lies in $⟨x⟩\cap ⟨y⟩=\{e\}$, so $m,n\mid r$ and $mn\mid r$. Hence $o(xy)=mn$.

Cauchy theorem for groups says that every prime divisor $p$ of $|G|$ occurs as the order of an element of $G$. For $|G|=26$, the Sylow $13$-subgroup $P\cong C_{13}$ is unique and normal, and Cauchy's theorem supplies a complement $C_2$. Thus $G=C_{13}⋊C_2$. The homomorphism $C_2\to \mathrm{Aut}(C_{13})\cong C_{12}$ is either trivial or has the unique image of order two, inversion. These give exactly $C_{26}$ and the dihedral group of order $26$.

No. In $S_3$, take $x=(12)$ and $y=(123)$. Their orders are two and three, but $xy$ is a transposition and has order two.

No. In any group choose a nonidentity $x$ and put $y=x^{-1}$. They commute, but $xy=e$ has order one rather than $o(x)o(y)$.