Subgroup of Solvable Group is Solvable
Theorem
Let $G$ be a solvable group.
Let $H$ be a subgroup of $G$.
Then $H$ is solvable.
Proof 1
Let $\set e = G_0 \lhd G_1 \lhd \cdots \lhd G_n = G$ be a normal series for $G$ with abelian quotients.
For every $i = 1, 2, \ldots, n$ we have:
- $\paren {H \cap G_i} \cap G_{i - 1} = H \cap G_{i - 1}$
From the Second Isomorphism Theorem for Groups:
- $\dfrac {\paren {H \cap G_i} G_{i - 1} } {G_{i - 1} } \cong \dfrac {H \cap G_i} {\paren {H \cap G_i} \cap G_{i - 1} } = \dfrac {H \cap G_i} {H \cap G_{i - 1} }$
where $\cong$ denotes group isomorphism.
In particular, $H \cap G_{i - 1}$ is a normal subgroup of $H \cap G_i$.
We have that:
- $\paren {H \cap G_i} G_{i - 1} \subseteq G_i$
and so from the Correspondence Theorem:
- $\dfrac {\paren {H \cap G_i} G_{i - 1} } {G_{i - 1} } \le G_i / G_{i - 1}$
We have that $G_i / G_{i - 1}$ is abelian.
Thus from Subgroup of Abelian Group is Abelian:
- $\dfrac {\paren {H \cap G_i } G_{i - 1} } {G_{i - 1} }$ is abelian.
Hence $\dfrac {H \cap G_i} {H \cap G_{i - 1} }$ is abelian.
Therefore, the series :
- $\set e = H \cap G_0 \lhd H \cap G_1 \lhd \cdots \lhd H \cap G_n = H$
is a normal series with abelian factor groups for $H$.
Therefore $H$ is solvable.
$\blacksquare$
Proof 2
Firstly we, know that a group is solvable if and only if its derived series:
$\map D G = \sqbrk {G, G} \ , \ \map {D^i} G = \sqbrk {\map {D^{i - 1} } G, \map {D^{i - 1} } G}$
becomes trivial after finite iteration.
Meaning:
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$\map {D^j} G = \set 1$
for some finite $j$.
Now it is trivial that:
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- $\map D H \le \map D G$
since $H$ is smaller than $G$.
Further since $\map {D^i} H$ is dominated by $\map {D^i} G$, it too has to become trivial after a finite amount of steps.
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$\blacksquare$
Proof 3
Let $H \le G$ and $G$ be solvable with normal series:
- $\set e = G_0 \lhd G_1 \lhd \dots \lhd G_m = G$
such that $G_{i + 1} / G_i$ is abelian for all $i$.
Define $N_i = G_i \cap H$.
We show that these $N_i$ will form a normal series with abelian factors.
- Normality
Let $x \in N_i$ and $y \in N_{i + 1}$.
Then $y x y^{-1} \in N$ since $N$ as a group is closed.
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We also have $y x y^{-1} \in G_i$ since $G_i$ is normal in $G_{i + 1}$.
Hence $N_i$ is invariant under conjugation and therefore normal.
- Abelian Factors
Note that:
\(\ds N_{i + 1} \cap G_i\) | \(=\) | \(\ds \paren {G_{i + 1} \cap H} \cap G_i\) | Definition of $N_{i + 1}$ | |||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds H \cap \paren {G_{i + 1} \cap G_i}\) | Intersection is Commutative, Intersection is Associative | |||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds H \cap G_i\) | Intersection with Subset is Subset: $G_i \subseteq G_{i + 1}$ | |||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds N_i\) | Definition of $N_i$ |
Thus:
\(\ds \dfrac {N_{i + 1} } {N_i}\) | \(=\) | \(\ds \dfrac {N_{i + 1} } {N_{i + 1} \cap G_i}\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(\cong\) | \(\ds \dfrac {N_{i + 1} G_i} {G_i}\) | Second Isomorphism Theorem for Groups | |||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(\le\) | \(\ds \dfrac {G_{i + 1} } {G_i}\) |
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so the quotient $\dfrac {N_{i + 1}} {N_i}$ is isomorphic to a subgroup of the abelian group $\dfrac{G_{i + 1}} {G_i}$.
Hence it is abelian, proving the theorem.
$\blacksquare$
Sources
- 1971: Allan Clark: Elements of Abstract Algebra ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $2$: Normal and Composition Series: $\S 75 \alpha$