Dummit And Foote Solutions Chapter 4 Overleaf -

\beginsolution Consider the action of $G$ on $N$ by conjugation. Since $N \triangleleft G$, this action is well-defined. The fixed points of this action are $N \cap Z(G)$. By the $p$-group fixed point theorem (Exercise 4.2.8), $|N| \equiv |N \cap Z(G)| \pmodp$. Since $|N|$ is a power of $p$ and $N$ is nontrivial, $p \mid |N|$. Hence $p \mid |N \cap Z(G)|$, so $|N \cap Z(G)| \geq p > 1$. Thus $N \cap Z(G) \neq 1$. \endsolution

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\beginsolution Let $H = N_G(P)$. By definition, $P \triangleleft H$ (since $P$ is normal in its normalizer). Hence $P$ is the unique Sylow $p$-subgroup of $H$. Now let $g \in N_G(H)$. Then $gPg^-1 \subseteq gHg^-1 = H$, so $gPg^-1$ is also a Sylow $p$-subgroup of $H$. By uniqueness, $gPg^-1 = P$. Thus $g \in N_G(P) = H$. Therefore $N_G(H) \subseteq H$, and the reverse inclusion is trivial. So $N_G(H) = H$. \endsolution

\beginsolution Apply the class equation: [ |G| = |Z(G)| + \sum_i [G : C_G(g_i)], ] where the sum runs over non-central conjugacy classes. Each $[G : C_G(g_i)] > 1$ is a power of $p$ (since $C_G(g_i)$ is a subgroup). Thus $p$ divides each term in the sum. Also $p \mid |G|$. Hence $p \mid |Z(G)|$. Therefore $|Z(G)| \geq p$, so $Z(G)$ is nontrivial. \endsolution Dummit And Foote Solutions Chapter 4 Overleaf

% -------------------------------------------------------------- % Title & Author % -------------------------------------------------------------- \titleSolutions to Dummit & Foote\ Chapter 4: Group Actions \authorPrepared for Overleaf \date\today

\beginexercise[Section 4.3, Exercise 11] Let $G$ be a group of order $p^2$ where $p$ is prime. Prove that $G$ is abelian. \endexercise

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\sectionThe Orbit-Stabilizer Theorem

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\beginexercise[Section 4.5, Exercise 10] Prove that if $|G| = 12$, then $G$ has either one or four Sylow $3$-subgroups. \endexercise

\beginsolution Let $n_3$ denote the number of Sylow $3$-subgroups. By Sylow's theorems, $n_3 \equiv 1 \pmod3$ and $n_3 \mid 4$. The divisors of $4$ are $1,2,4$. Which are $\equiv 1 \pmod3$? $1 \equiv 1 \pmod3$, $4 \equiv 1 \pmod3$, but $2 \equiv 2 \pmod3$. Hence $n_3 = 1$ or $n_3 = 4$. No other possibilities. \endsolution

\beginexercise[Section 4.2, Exercise 8] Let $G$ be a $p$-group acting on a finite set $A$. Prove that [ |A| \equiv |\Fix(A)| \pmodp, ] where $\Fix(A) = a \in A : g \cdot a = a \text for all g \in G$. \endexercise \beginsolution Consider the action of $G$ on $N$

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Alternatively, consider the action of $G$ on the set of all subsets of size $n$? A standard proof uses the regular representation and the sign homomorphism. Let $G$ act on itself by left multiplication; this yields an embedding $\pi: G \hookrightarrow S_2n$. Since $n$ is odd, $2n$ is even. Compose with the sign map $\sgn: S_2n \to \pm1$. The kernel of $\sgn \circ \pi$ is a subgroup of index at most $2$. If the image is $\pm1$, the kernel has index $2$ and hence order $n$. If the image is trivial, then every element acts as an even permutation. But in $S_2n$, a transposition is odd; careful analysis (see D&F) shows this forces a contradiction for $n$ odd. Thus the kernel is the desired subgroup of order $n$. \endsolution