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Every finite group whose order is divisible by at most two distinct primes is a solvable group. A nonabelian simple group must therefore have at least three distinct prime divisors.

The derived series is defined byA group is solvable exactly when this series reaches the trivial group after finitely many steps.

Every finite group of odd order is a solvable group. In particular, a nonabelian simple group has even order and therefore has an involution by Cauchy's theorem for finite groups. This is a deep theorem, not an elementary consequence of the Sylow theorems.

A soluble group, also called a solvable group, has a terminating derived series:For a subgroup $S\le G$, induction gives $S^{(j)}\le G^{(j)}$, so subgroups of soluble groups are soluble. For a surjective group homomorphism $q:G\to Q$, $q(G^{(j)})=Q^{(j)}$, so quotients of soluble groups are soluble. Finally, in a group extension $1\to K\to E\to Q\to 1$, suppose $K^{(r)}=1$ and $Q^{(s)}=1$. Then $E^{(s)}\le K$ and $E^{(s+r)}=1$. Soluble groups are closed under subgroups, quotients and group extensions.

A virtually soluble group contains a soluble group as a finite-index subgroup. The finite-index facts proved in parts (i)–(iii) imply closure under subgroups and quotients: intersect a finite-index soluble subgroup with the chosen subgroup, or take its image under the quotient map.

For group extensions, no finite-generation hypothesis may be inserted. We first establish the finite-index characteristic soluble subgroup lemma. If $K$ is a virtually soluble group, the kernel of its action on the cosets of a finite-index soluble subgroup is a soluble normal subgroup $K_0$ of finite index. Among soluble normal subgroups containing $K_0$, choose $R$ with maximal $|R/K_0|$, possible because $K/K_0$ is finite. If $S$ is any soluble normal subgroup of $K$, then $RS$ is soluble: it is an extension of $R$ by $S/(R\cap S)$. Maximality forces $S\le R$. Thus $R$ is the unique largest soluble normal subgroup of $K$, making it a characteristic subgroup, and it has finite index.

Now suppose $1\to K\to G\stackrel{\pi }{\to }Q\to 1$ has both $K$ and $Q$ virtually soluble. Replace $G$ by the preimage $G_0$ of a finite-index soluble subgroup of $Q$. The subgroup $R$ just constructed is characteristic in $K$ and therefore normal in $G_0$. In $E=G_0/R$, the subgroup $A=K/R$ is a finite normal subgroup, and $E/A$ is a soluble group. The centralizer $C_E(A)$ has finite index in $E$, since conjugation gives a map $E\to \mathrm{Aut}(A)$ with finite image. Its intersection with $A$ is the center of a group $Z(A)$, an abelian group, while its quotient by $Z(A)$ embeds in the soluble group $E/A$. Thus $C_E(A)$ is a soluble group. Its preimage in $G_0$ is an extension by $R$, so it too is soluble and has finite index in $G$. Virtually soluble groups are closed under group extensions.

For the final example take the restricted direct sum of groupswhere $A_5$ is the nonabelian simple group of even permutations on five letters. Every finite collection of elements lies in a product of finitely many finite factors, so $D$ is a locally finite group and hence a torsion group. It cannot contain a nonabelian free group, which is a torsion-free group.

To show that $D$ is not a virtually soluble group, let $H$ be any finite-index subgroup and let $N\le H$ be the kernel of the finite coset action. Each coordinate $A_5$ maps either injectively or trivially into the finite quotient $D/N$, by Simplicity of the alternating group A5. The nontrivial images of distinct factors commute, and each has trivial centre, so any $k$ of them generate a direct product of groups of order $60^k$. Only finitely many such images can occur in a finite quotient. Therefore $N$, and hence $H$, contains a whole coordinate copy of $A_5$, which is not soluble: its nontrivial commutator subgroup is normal and therefore equals $A_5$. No finite-index subgroup of $D$ is soluble.

Let $\alpha =\sqrt[5]{3}$ and let $\zeta$ be a primitive fifth root of unity. Then $L=\mathbb{Q}(\alpha ,\zeta )$. The field degrees $[\mathbb{Q}(\alpha ):\mathbb{Q}]=5$ and $[\mathbb{Q}(\zeta ):\mathbb{Q}]=4$ both divide $[L:\mathbb{Q}]$, while adjoining the two generators gives $[L:\mathbb{Q}]\le 20$. Consequently $[L:\mathbb{Q}]=20$.

The cyclotomic field $\mathbb{Q}(\zeta )/\mathbb{Q}$ is Galois with cyclic group of order $4$. The Fundamental theorem of Galois theory gives a normal subgroupThus $N\cong C_5$ and the chain $\boxed{G▹N▹\{1\}}$ has abelian successive quotients, proving that $G$ is a solvable group. One may refine it by inserting the inverse image of the order-two subgroup of $C_4$, giving cyclic factors $C_2,C_2,C_5$.

A group is solvable when its derived serieseventually reaches the trivial group; equivalently, it has a subnormal series with abelian quotients.

The symmetric group $S_4$ is solvable becausehas abelian quotients $V_4$, $C_3$, and $C_2$, where $V_4$ is the Klein four-group. Thus

Let $x_1,\dots ,x_5$ be algebraically independent indeterminates and set $a_i=e_i(x_1,\dots ,x_5)$, the elementary symmetric polynomials. ThenThe Fundamental theorem of symmetric polynomials identifies the fixed field of the natural $S_5$ action on $\mathbb{Q}(x_1,\dots ,x_5)$ with $\mathbb{Q}(a_1,\dots ,a_5)=K$. Every permutation of the roots therefore gives a $K$-automorphism, and the Galois group of a polynomial isA characteristic-zero polynomial is solvable by radicals exactly when its Galois group is a solvable group. Part (c) shows that $S_5$ is not solvable, so

A finite separable extension is solvable when its normal closure has a solvable group as Galois group. In characteristic zero it is contained in a radical tower after adjoining suitable roots of unity; containment need not mean it is itself a tower of radical adjunctions.

A group is virtually solvable, or virtually soluble, when it contains a solvable group as a finite-index subgroup. This is preserved under subgroups, quotients and group extensions. The extension proof can use a finite-index characteristic soluble subgroup of the kernel, followed by centralizing the resulting finite normal kernel. Finite generation is not required for these closure properties.