Does Lagrange's Theorem Prove Every Element's Power Equals Group's Order?

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
4 replies · 2K views
eileen6a
Messages
18
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


If G is a finite group with m elements. Show that [itex]a^m=1[/itex] for all a[itex]\in[/itex] G.



Homework Equations



order of group equal order of elements.

The Attempt at a Solution


i know order of group equal order of elements, but how to give a detailed proof?
Is G cyclic?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
i know order of group equal order of elements

This isn't true. For example in Z4, 2 has order 2, not 4. There is a statement you can make relating the order of a group element to the size of the group though
 
the question is wrong?but this is a question and i am supposed to prove it...
Office_Shredder said:
This isn't true. For example in Z4, 2 has order 2, not 4. There is a statement you can make relating the order of a group element to the size of the group though
what is that statement??lagrange theorem?
 
Office_Shredder said:
This isn't true.
For example in Z4, 2 has order 2, not 4.
2 has order 2, so 22 = 1, but isn't 24 also = 1?
Office_Shredder said:
There is a statement you can make relating the order of a group element to the size of the group though
 
am=1 does not mean that m is the order of a. The order of a is the smallest power you can raise a to that gives you one. So the question isn't asking you to prove that the order of a is the size of the group.

Yes eileena, Lagrange's theorem is what you need