Permutation of Cosets
Theorem
Let $G$ be a group and let $H \le G$.
Let $\mathbb S$ be the set of all distinct left cosets of $H$ in $G$.
Then:
- $(1): \quad$ For any $g \in G$, the mapping $\theta_g: \mathbb S \to \mathbb S$ defined by $\map {\theta_g} {x H} = g x H$ is a permutation of $\mathbb S$.
- $(2): \quad$ The mapping $\theta$ defined by $\map \theta g = \theta_g$ is a homomorphism from $G$ into the symmetric group on $\mathbb S$.
- $(3): \quad$ The kernel of $\theta$ is the subgroup $\ds \bigcap_{x \mathop \in G} x H x^{-1}$.
Corollary 1
Let $G$ be a group.
Let $H \le G$ such that $\index G H = n$ where $n \in \Z$.
Then:
- $\exists N \lhd G: N \lhd H: n \divides \index G H \divides n!$
Corollary 2
Let $G$ be a group.
Let $p$ be the smallest prime such that:
- $p \divides \order G$
where $\divides$ denotes divisibility.
Let $\exists H: H \le G$ such that $\order H = p$.
Then $H$ is a normal subgroup of $G$.
Proof
First we need to show that $\theta_g$ is well-defined and injective.
\(\ds x H\) | \(=\) | \(\ds y H\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \leadstoandfrom \ \ \) | \(\ds y^{-1} x\) | \(\in\) | \(\ds H\) | |||||||||||
\(\ds \leadstoandfrom \ \ \) | \(\ds \paren {g y}^{-1} g x\) | \(=\) | \(\ds y^{-1} x \in H\) | |||||||||||
\(\ds \leadstoandfrom \ \ \) | \(\ds \map {\theta_g} {y H}\) | \(=\) | \(\ds \map {\theta_g} {x H}\) |
Thus $\theta_g$ is well-defined and injective.
Then we see that $\forall x H \in \mathbb S: \map {\theta_g} {g^{-1} x H} = x H$, so $\theta_g$ is surjective.
Thus $\theta_g$ is a well-defined bijection on $\mathbb S$, and therefore a permutation on $\mathbb S$.
Next we see:
\(\ds \map {\theta_{u v} } {x H}\) | \(=\) | \(\ds u v x H\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds \map {\theta_u} {v x H}\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds \map {\theta_u} {\map {\theta_v }{x H} }=\) |
This shows that $\theta_{u v} = \theta_u \theta_v$, and thus:
- $\map \theta {u v} = \map \theta u \, \map \theta v$
Thus $\theta$ is a homomorphism.
Now to calculate $\map \ker \theta$:
\(\ds \map \ker \theta\) | \(=\) | \(\ds \set {g \in G: \theta_g = I_\mathbb S}\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds \set {g \in G: \forall x \in G: \map {\theta_g} {x H} = x H}\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds \set {g \in G: \forall x \in G: g x h = x H}\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds \set {g \in G: \forall x \in G: x^{-1} g x h = H}\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds \set {g \in G: \forall x \in G: x^{-1} g x \in H}\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds \set {g \in G: \forall x \in G: g \in x H x^{-1} }\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds \bigcap_{x \mathop \in G} x H x^{-1}\) |
as required.
$\blacksquare$
Sources
- 1996: John F. Humphreys: A Course in Group Theory ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $9$: Permutations: Proposition $9.22$