Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Oxford / 2021 / Prelims / Mathematics I / 6 / b / i / Solution

Fix $x\in G$. The integer powers of a group element satisfyFor nonnegative integers these rules follow by associativity and counting factors; negative integers are handled by $x^{-r}=(x^{-1}{)}^r$, and opposite signs by cancellation of adjacent inverse elements. All factors are powers of the same element, so no abelian group assumption is involved.

It follows that $z\mapsto \rho (z,x)=x^z$ is a group homomorphism from the additive group of integers to $G$, andThe homomorphism uses ordinary addition on $\mathbb{Z}$; composition of the power functions corresponds to ordinary multiplication of exponents.