Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2009 iii Paper 27 3 a Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Let and . For in the modular group, left multiplication by powers of and by performs subtraction and exchange on its first-column entries. The Euclidean algorithm reduces to , since the determinant condition makes them coprime. The resulting matrix is , and is already generated. Hence generate .
The standard fundamental domain of the modular group is , with the vertical sides identified by and the circular sides by . To prove every orbit meets it, choose a coprime integer pair minimizing . A minimum exists because only finitely many pairs have this quantity below any fixed bound: bounds , then . Complete the pair to a determinant-one matrix. Its image has maximal imaginary part in the orbit, since . Translate its real part into . If its modulus were below one, inversion would increase its imaginary part, a contradiction. This is the reduction to the standard modular region.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2018 iii Paper 137 3 i Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-05
Let and . The modular group acts on the complex upper half-plane by fractional linear transformations, andFor fixed , the values with primitive integer pairs have a positive minimum: the conditions bound both and , leaving finitely many pairs. By Bezout identity, a minimizing pair is the bottom row of a matrix in . Applying that matrix gives a point of maximal imaginary part in its orbit.
Translate it by a power of into . It must have modulus at least one, since otherwise would increase its imaginary part. If it is on the unit circle with negative real part, apply , which there changes to . This gives an element of the specified half-open standard fundamental domain of the modular group. It proves existence by reduction to the standard modular region.
For uniqueness, if lies in the closed standard region then andfor every primitive pair. If , this follows from ; if , it follows from . If , then uses , while givesIf both and lie in the region, applying this inequality to and forces their imaginary parts to agree, hence .
The equality cases describe every possible boundary identification. For the map is an integer translation; the half-open vertical strip retains one representative. For , equality requires , and the map is an inversion followed by an integer translation. Inversion exchanges the two halves of the circle, so retaining only the right half removes the duplication; the only translation that returns the exchanged endpoint is the one identifying the two corners. The remaining equality cases have , and , and give only those same corner identifications. Our region retains the right corner alone. Therefore , proving
The equality analysis also gives the elliptic stabilizers of the modular group. The central matrices fix every point. The point is fixed by , with , and the retained corner is fixed by , with . There are no other noncentral stabilizers, and the possible bottom rows in the equality cases give exactlyThe corresponding stabilizer orders in are two, three and one; the requested group is , so the center must be included.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 iii Paper 137 1 a Solution 2026-09-28
Write . Forthe imaginary part of the Möbius transformation isAmong the primitive integer pairs , choose one minimizing the nonzero quantity . Such a minimum exists because only finitely many lattice points lie in a bounded region. Complete to a matrix . Then has maximal imaginary part in its modular group orbit.
Applying an integral translation does not change that imaginary part, so arrangeIf , then . The modular inversion would givecontradicting maximality. Hence every orbit meets the stated region. This is the reduction to the standard modular region argument.