Past exam of the Probability, statistics and options II course of the University of Oxford / 2007 / A / 2

Any nonzero vector in ${\mathbb{F}}_2^3$ extends to a basis. Sending one such basis to another gives an element of the general linear group, so its group action on the seven nonzero vectors is a transitive group action. Counting successive independent columns givesBy the orbit-stabilizer theorem, the stabilizer $H$ of a chosen nonzero vector $v$ has order $168/7=24$.

There are three two-dimensional linear subspaces containing $v$, corresponding to the three one-dimensional linear subspaces of ${\mathbb{F}}_2^3/⟨v⟩$. The stabilizer $H$ acts transitively on them: extend a basis of either plane beginning with $v$ to a basis of the whole vector space. Thus the stabilizer of a flag $⟨v⟩<P$ has order $24/3=8$.

If $Q\le G$ has order eight, each orbit of a group action of $Q$ on the seven nonzero vectors has size a power of two. Since seven is odd, at least one orbit of a group action has size one. Thus $Q$ fixes a nonzero vector $v$. Its group action on the three planes containing $v$ likewise has a fixed plane $P$. Therefore $Q$ is contained in, and by order equals, the stabilizer of that flag. The group action of $G$ is transitive on these flags, so all such subgroups are conjugate subgroups.

Distinct flags give distinct stabilizers. In a basis adapted to a flag, its order-eight stabilizer consists ofIts only common fixed nonzero vector is $e_1$. Its only invariant plane is $⟨e_1,e_2⟩$: an invariant plane is the kernel of a linear map of a nonzero linear functional, and over ${\mathbb{F}}_2$ that linear functional must be fixed; the displayed matrices have only the fixed nonzero linear functional $e_3^{\ast }$. Hence each subgroup specifies its flag uniquely. There are seven choices of $v$ and three choices of $P$, giving