Simple Abelian Groups: Can They Be Classified?

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In summary, a simple abelian group is a type of mathematical group that is both simple and abelian. They can be classified using the fundamental theorem of abelian groups, and there are only two possibilities for their structure. Classifying these groups is important for understanding their properties and making connections with other areas of mathematics. There are still open questions and ongoing research related to simple abelian groups, such as finding new methods for classification and exploring connections with other areas of mathematics.
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Dawson64
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I've been doing some work with simple Abelian groups and their generators, and I feel like there is a way to classify all of them, is this possible?
 
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Yep. It's been done. Since any subgroup of a abelian group is normal, a simple abelian group must have only {e} and itself as subgroups. Thus the only simple abelian groups are the (cyclic) groups of order p, where p is a prime.
 

1. What is a simple abelian group?

A simple abelian group is a type of mathematical group that is both simple (meaning it has no nontrivial normal subgroups) and abelian (meaning its group operation is commutative). This means that a simple abelian group is a group where all elements commute with each other, and there are no nontrivial subgroups that are closed under the group operation.

2. Can all simple abelian groups be classified?

Yes, all simple abelian groups can be classified. This is because there are only two possibilities for a simple abelian group: it is either isomorphic to the cyclic group of prime order, or it is isomorphic to the direct product of two or more copies of the cyclic group of prime order.

3. How are simple abelian groups classified?

Simple abelian groups can be classified using the fundamental theorem of abelian groups, which states that every finitely generated abelian group is isomorphic to a direct product of cyclic groups. This theorem allows us to break down a simple abelian group into its prime factors, where each prime factor corresponds to a cyclic group of prime order.

4. What is the importance of classifying simple abelian groups?

Classifying simple abelian groups is important because it helps us understand the structure and properties of these groups. It also allows us to identify and distinguish between different types of simple abelian groups, which can be useful in solving problems and making connections with other areas of mathematics.

5. Are there any open questions or areas of research related to simple abelian groups?

Yes, there are still open questions and ongoing research related to simple abelian groups. Some of these include finding new methods for classifying simple abelian groups, studying their automorphism groups and endomorphism rings, and exploring connections with other areas of mathematics such as representation theory and algebraic geometry.

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