Order of an element in ##\mathbb{Z}_n##

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In summary, the order of an element in a group can be found by performing repeated operations until the result is equal to the identity element. In the case of ##3## in ##\mathbb{z_4}## and ##12## in ##\mathbb{z_{20}}##, the orders are ##4## and ##5## respectively. The order of ##16## in ##\mathbb{z_{24}}## can be found by taking ##k=1## in the formula ##12n-20m=0##, resulting in an order of ##3##. For ##\mathbb{z_2} \times \mathbb{z_
  • #1
chwala
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TL;DR Summary
See attached...
1691149676101.png


Doing some self study here; my understanding of order of an element in a group is as follows:
Order of ##3## in ##\mathbb{z_4}## can be arrived by having, ##3+3+3+3=12≡0##
likewise, the order of ##12## in ##\mathbb{z_{20}}## can be arrived by
##12+12=24 ≡4≠0##
##12+12+12=36≡16≠0##
##12+12+12+12=48≡18≠0##
##12+12+12+12+12=60≡0⇒12^5=0##
therefore the order of ##12## in ##\mathbb{z_{20}}=5##. Any insight is welcome.
 
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  • #2
Quicler is, for positive integers [itex]n[/itex] and [itex]m[/itex], [tex]
12n - 20m = 4(3n - 5m) = 0\quad\Leftrightarrow\quad (n,m) = (5k,3k), k \in \mathbb{N}[/tex] and the order of 12 in [itex]\mathbb{Z}_{20}[/itex] is found by taking [itex]k = 1[/itex].
 
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  • #3
...This is a continuation
1691152421209.png
This part is quite clear... that is:
##3## in ##\mathbb{z_4}=4##
##6## in ##\mathbb{z_{12}}=2##
##12## in ##\mathbb{z_{20}}=5##
##16## in ##\mathbb{z_{24}}=3##
and
lcm ##(4,2,5,3)=60##
 
  • #4
pasmith said:
Quicler is, for positive integers [itex]n[/itex] and [itex]m[/itex], [tex]
12n - 20m = 4(3n - 5m) = 0\quad\Leftrightarrow\quad (n,m) = (5k,3k), k \in \mathbb{N}[/tex] and the order of 12 in [itex]\mathbb{Z}_{20}[/itex] is found by taking [itex]k = 1[/itex].
Looks easy to apply, then for
##16## in ##\mathbb{z_{24}}## we shall have,
##16n-24m=8(2n-3m)=0## ...
##(3k,2k)##, on taking ##k=1## we shall then have the required ##n=3##.
 
  • #5
chwala said:
TL;DR Summary: See attached...

View attachment 330097

Doing some self study here; my understanding of order of an element in a group is as follows:
Order of ##3## in ##\mathbb{z_4}## can be arrived by having, ##3+3+3+3=12≡0##
likewise, the order of ##12## in ##\mathbb{z_{20}}## can be arrived by
##12+12=24 ≡4≠0##
##12+12+12=36≡16≠0##
##12+12+12+12=48≡18≠0##
##12+12+12+12+12=60≡0⇒12^5=0##
therefore the order of ##12## in ##\mathbb{z_{20}}=5##. Any insight is welcome.
Let me have this here for future reference...my way of attempting,
##\mathbb{z_3} ×\mathbb{z_4}=(0,1,2) ×(0,1,2,3)##

Giving us,

##(0,0), (0,1), (0,2), 0,3)##
## (1,0), (1,1), (1,2), (1,3)##
##(2,0), (2,1), (2,2), (2,3)##
the order is ##12##.
 
  • #6
For ##\mathbb{z_2} ×\mathbb{z_2}×\mathbb{z_2}## ...i am going through this link

https://quizlet.com/explanations/qu...ups-of-2-e8129f84-d882-40fe-baab-e8c7b00823ab

My way of doing it,

##\mathbb{z_2} ×\mathbb{z_2}=(0,1)×(0,1)=(0,0), (0,1), (1,0), (1,1)##

...

##\mathbb{z_2} ×\mathbb{z_2}×\mathbb{z_2}=[(0,0), (0,1), (1,0), (1,1)]×[(0,1)]##

##=(0,0,0), (0,0,1), (0,1,0), (0,1,1), (1,0,0), (1,0,1), (1,1,0)## and ##(1,1,1)##

order is ##8##.
Insight is welcome.
 
Last edited:
  • #7
chwala said:
For ##\mathbb{z_2} ×\mathbb{z_2}×\mathbb{z_2}## ...i am going through this link

https://quizlet.com/explanations/qu...ups-of-2-e8129f84-d882-40fe-baab-e8c7b00823ab

My way of doing it,

##\mathbb{z_2} ×\mathbb{z_2}=(0,1)×(0,1)=(0,0), (0,1), (1,0), (1,1)##
You should distinguish elements and sets.
$$\mathbb{Z}_2 \times\mathbb{Z}_2=\{0,1\}\times \{0,1\}=\{(0,0), (0,1), (1,0), (1,1)\}$$
and write these cyclic groups with a capital Z, and the index outside of the brackets:
Code:
\mathbb{Z}_p

chwala said:
...

##\mathbb{z_2} ×\mathbb{z_2}×\mathbb{z_2}=[(0,0), (0,1), (1,0), (1,1)]×[(0,1)]##
Yes. We have three direct factors here, which are triplets, so
\begin{align*}
\mathbb{Z}_2^3&=\mathbb{Z}_2 \times\mathbb{Z}_2\times\mathbb{Z}_2\\&=\{0,1\}\times \{0,1\}\times \{0,1\}\\&=\{(0,0,0), (0,1,0), (1,0,0), (1,1,0),(0,0,1), (0,1,1), (1,0,1), (1,1,1)\}
\end{align*}
These direct products are associative so it does not matter where or even whether you insert an order.
chwala said:
##=(0,0,0), (0,0,1), (0,1,0), (0,1,1), (1,0,0), (1,0,1), (1,1,0)## and ##(1,1,1)##

order is ##8##.
Insight is welcome.

Edit: "You should distinguish elements and sets."

I should do that, too. I corrected the notation (from ##\{(0,1)\}## to ##\{0,1\}## for the single group ##\mathbb{Z}_2##).
 
Last edited:
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  • #8
fresh_42 said:
You should distinguish elements and sets.

fresh_42 said:
and write these cyclic groups with a capital Z, and the index outside of the brackets:
Yes to both...
 
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1. What is the order of an element in ##\mathbb{Z}_n##?

The order of an element in ##\mathbb{Z}_n## is the smallest positive integer ##k## such that ##a^k \equiv 1 \mod n##, where ##a## is the element and ##n## is the modulus.

2. How is the order of an element calculated in ##\mathbb{Z}_n##?

The order of an element in ##\mathbb{Z}_n## can be calculated using the formula ##\text{ord}_n(a) = \frac{n}{\text{gcd}(a,n)}##, where ##a## is the element and ##n## is the modulus.

3. Can an element have more than one order in ##\mathbb{Z}_n##?

No, an element in ##\mathbb{Z}_n## can only have one order, as it is defined as the smallest positive integer satisfying a certain congruence equation.

4. What is the significance of the order of an element in ##\mathbb{Z}_n##?

The order of an element in ##\mathbb{Z}_n## is important in understanding the structure and properties of the group. It can also be used in various mathematical applications, such as cryptography.

5. How does the order of an element relate to the order of the group in ##\mathbb{Z}_n##?

The order of an element in ##\mathbb{Z}_n## must always be a factor of the order of the group, which is ##n##. This is known as Lagrange's theorem, and it holds for all finite groups.

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