Order of Elements in a Group: A Quick Check of Understanding

In summary, the conversation discusses the calculation of elements of order n in a group, specifically looking at the group of units in Z_6. It is mentioned that there may or may not be elements of order 6 in G, and there is some confusion about the reasoning involving non-units in Z_6.
  • #1
Artusartos
247
0
I just want to check if there is anything wrong with my understanding...

Let's say we have a group of order 42 that contains [itex]Z_6[/itex]. Since the group of units of [itex]Z_6[/itex] has order (3-1)(2-1), it means that we have 2 elements of order 6 in G, right? In other words, for any cyclic subgroup of order n, we just calculate the group of units to see how many elements of order n we have. Is that correct? Also, if we let [itex]P=Z_6[/itex], we can have at most 7 cyclic subgroups of order 6, since 7=42/|N(P)| (where N(P) is the normalizer of P), if N(P)=6 (which is the smallest it can be, since it has to contain [itex]Z_6[/itex]). I'm just wondering if my understanding is correct.

Thanks in advance
 
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  • #2
Not right. We might have elements of order ##6## in ##G## or not, but your reasoning with the units of ##\mathbb{Z}_6## is strange. The non-units you might refer to are ##0## and ##3## and none of which has order ##6##.
 

1. What is the significance of the order of elements in a group?

The order of elements in a group refers to the number of elements in the group. It determines the size of the group and is an important factor in understanding the group's structure and properties.

2. How is the order of elements in a group determined?

The order of elements in a group is determined by counting the number of elements in the group. This can be done by listing out all the elements or by using mathematical formulas specific to different types of groups.

3. Can the order of elements in a group be changed?

No, the order of elements in a group is fixed and cannot be changed. The elements in a group are defined by the group's operation and cannot be rearranged without altering the group's structure.

4. How does the order of elements affect the group's properties?

The order of elements in a group can affect the group's properties in many ways. For example, the order of a group can determine if it is finite or infinite, and can also impact the group's symmetry and subgroups.

5. What is the relationship between the order of elements and the order of a group's operation?

The order of elements in a group is related to the order of the group's operation. For a finite group, the order of the group's operation will always be a multiple of the order of elements in the group. In some cases, the order of elements can also divide the order of a group's operation.

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