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Suppose every nonidentity element of a finite group $K$ is either a pi-element or an element for complementary primes. An elementary subgroup cannot have nontrivial factors of both kinds, since the product of nonidentity commuting coprime-order elements would have mixed prime order. Choose an integer $d$ congruent to $1$ modulo $|K{|}_{\pi }$ and to $0$ modulo $|K{|}_{{\pi }^{\prime }}$. Set $f(1)=d$, $f=1$ on nonidentity pi-elements and $f=0$ on the other nonidentity elements. On each elementary subgroup this is an integer combination of the trivial and regular characters. Brauer's characterization of characters supplies the asserted generalized character.

If $A$ is empty, take the zero generalized character; if $B$ is empty, take the trivial character. Otherwise let $\pi$ be the set of primes dividing the orders of elements of $A$. The coprimality hypothesis makes every element of $B$ a ${\pi }^{\prime }$-element. Thus every nonidentity element of $G$ is either a pi-element in $A$ or a complementary-prime element in $B$. In particular these sets are unions of conjugacy classes, since conjugation preserves element order.

Put $m=|G{|}_{\pi }$ and $n=|G{|}_{{\pi }^{\prime }}$. Their greatest common divisor is one, so the Chinese remainder theorem supplies an integer $d$ such thatDefine the class function $f$ by $f(1)=d$, $f=1$ on $A$ and $f=0$ on $B$. We verify Brauer's characterization of characters directly.

For an elementary subgroup $E=P\times C$, the cyclic factor can be split into its $\pi$-part and ${\pi }^{\prime }$-part. Attach $P$ to the part containing its prime. This expresses $E=E_{\pi }\times E_{{\pi }^{\prime }}$. Both factors cannot be nontrivial: choosing a nonidentity element in each would give a commuting product of mixed prime order, whereas every element of $G$ has order involving only one of the two prime sets. Hence $E$ is wholly a $\pi$-group or wholly a ${\pi }^{\prime }$-group.

Let $r_E$ be the character of the regular representation of $E$, with value $|E|$ at the identity and zero elsewhere. In the two cases respectively,The coefficients are integers because $|E|$ divides $m$ or $n$. Thus both are generalized characters. The trivial subgroup causes no difficulty since $d$ is an integer. By Brauer's characterization of characters, $f$ is a generalized character of $G$.

This is a generalized character separating complementary prime elements; the freely chosen value at the identity is what makes all elementary restrictions integral.

In character theory, a p-elementary group is a finite group isomorphic to $P\times C$, where $P$ is a $p$-group and $C$ is cyclic of order coprime to $p$. Either factor may be trivial. An elementary group is p-elementary for at least one prime $p$; it need not be an elementary abelian group.

A generalised character means an integer linear combination of irreducible complex characters. Brauer's characterisation of characters states that a complex class function $f$ on a finite group $G$ is a generalised character if and only if $f_E$ is a generalised character for every elementary subgroup $E\le G$. Equivalently,An ordinary character additionally requires nonnegative coefficients in its global irreducible decomposition. We use the virtual-character criterion just stated.

For the extension construction, set $d=\theta (1)$. The determinant character $\det \theta$ is linear. Since its extension $\mu$ has the same value $1$ at the identity, $\mu$ is also a linear character. For any $g\in G$, the subgroup $J_g=N⟨g⟩$ has cyclic quotient $J_g/N$, hence a solvable quotient. The invariant character $\theta$ has degree coprime to $[J_g:N]$, since this index divides $[G:N]$, and ${\mu }_{J_g}$ extends its determinant. The permitted coprime-degree determinant extension theorem therefore gives a unique character ${\chi }_g\in \mathrm{Irr}(J_g)$ withDefine a function on $G$ by $f(g)={\chi }_g(g)$. We next verify that these individually defined values form a compatible class function.

If $x\in G$, conjugation carries $J_g$ to $J_{xg{x}^{-1}}$. Transporting ${\chi }_g$ by this conjugation gives a character extending $\theta$, because $\theta$ is $G$-invariant, and with determinant $\mu$ restricted to the conjugate subgroup, because $\mu$ is a class function. Uniqueness identifies the transported character with ${\chi }_{xg{x}^{-1}}$. Consequently $f(xg{x}^{-1})=f(g)$.

Now take an elementary subgroup $E\le G$ and let $J=NE$. A finite $p$-group is solvable, a cyclic group is solvable, and a direct product of solvable groups is solvable. Thus $E$ is solvable, and so is $J/N\cong E/(E\cap N)$. Again the index $[J:N]$ divides $[G:N]$, so the same extension theorem gives ${\chi }_J\in \mathrm{Irr}(J)$ extending $\theta$ with determinant ${\mu }_J$.

For $g\in E$, we have $J_g\le J$. The restriction $({\chi }_J{)}_{J_g}$ is irreducible: an invariant subspace for $J_g$ would be invariant for $N$, whose restriction already affords the irreducible $\theta$. Its determinant is ${\mu }_{J_g}$. By uniqueness on $J_g$, it equals ${\chi }_g$. Thereforean ordinary character and hence a generalised character of $E$. Brauer's characterisation of characters now makes $f$ a generalised character of $G$. If $n\in N$, then $J_n=N$ and ${\chi }_n=\theta$, so $f(n)=\theta (n)$. We have proved, by gluing determinant-normalized character extensions,Only the intermediate quotients $J_g/N$ and $NE/N$ were required to be solvable; no solvability assumption on $G/N$ has been added.

For the prime-set assertion, let $E=P\times C$ be p-elementary, and split the cyclic group as $C=C_{\pi }\times C_{{\pi }^{\prime }}$, where each factor has the indicated prime divisors in its order. If $p\in \pi$, put $E_{\pi }=P\times C_{\pi }$ and $E_{{\pi }^{\prime }}=C_{{\pi }^{\prime }}$. If $p\notin \pi$, put $E_{\pi }=C_{\pi }$ and $E_{{\pi }^{\prime }}=P\times C_{{\pi }^{\prime }}$. In both cases the factors commute, have trivial intersection and have orders with disjoint prime spectra. This proves the prime-set decomposition of elementary groupsHere a pi-group has order divisible only by primes in $\pi$, and a pi-element has such an element order; the identity qualifies for both complementary prime sets.

Finally, suppose $K$ satisfies the given element-order condition. The sets $A,B$ are unions of conjugacy classes and are disjoint, because membership in both would force every prime divisor of the element order into $\pi \cap {\pi }^{\prime }=\varnothing$, hence force order $1$. Let $E\le K$ be elementary and use $E=E_{\pi }\times E_{{\pi }^{\prime }}$. If both factors were nontrivial, choose $a\ne 1$ in the first and $b\ne 1$ in the second. They commute and have coprime orders, so $ab$ has order $|a||b|$, containing primes from both $\pi$ and ${\pi }^{\prime }$. It would belong to neither $A$ nor $B$ nor $\{1\}$, contrary to the hypothesis. Thus every elementary subgroup is entirely a pi-group or entirely a complementary-prime group.

Write $m=|K{|}_{\pi }$ and $r=|K{|}_{{\pi }^{\prime }}$ for the two prime parts of $|K|$, so $|K|=mr$ and $\gcd (m,r)=1$. The Chinese remainder theorem supplies an integer $D$ satisfyingDefine the class functionFor an elementary $\pi$-subgroup $E$, its order divides $m$. Let ${\rho }_E$ be the character of its regular representation, equal to $|E|$ at $1$ and zero elsewhere. Thenwith integral coefficient because $D\equiv 1(\mathrm{mod}|E|)$. For an elementary ${\pi }^{\prime }$-subgroup, its order divides $r$, andagain has integral coefficient. The trivial subgroup satisfies either formula. Every elementary restriction is therefore a generalised character. A second application of Brauer's characterisation of characters provesThe freely chosen identity value, fixed by the two congruences, makes the restrictions integral. This construction also covers the cases $\pi =\varnothing$, ${\pi }^{\prime }=\varnothing$, or $K=\{1\}$, using modulus-one congruences where appropriate.