Proving A4 Has No Subgroup of Order 6

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I do not see how this leads to a contradiction, but let us continue. We have ##1## element of order ##1##. We have ##8## elements of order ##3##. We have ##3## elements of order ##2##. We must find more than ##6## elements of ##H##. We must find more elements of ##H##. The remaining ##6## elements can have order ##4##, but we can rule out that case.
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SqrachMasda
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Prove that A4 has no subgroup of order 6 in this way (and this way only):

Suppose that A4 has a subgroup H of order 6. Explain (in one sentence) why H must contain a 3-cycle. WLOG(without loss of generality) let this be (1,2,3).
Then H must have iota,(1,2,3) and (1,2,3)^-1=(3,2,1).
Now apply the result from my permutation 2 thread( Prove: a group of even order must have an even number of elements of order 2) to H.
As a result all that's left to do is take three cases, according to which element of order 2 in A4 belongs to H.
In each case compute products and take inverses in H to show H always has more than 6 elements (contradiction)
 
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  • #2
SqrachMasda said:
Prove that A4 has no subgroup of order 6 in this way (and this way only):

Suppose that A4 has a subgroup H of order 6. Explain (in one sentence) why H must contain a 3-cycle.
By the first Sylow theorem, there is a subgroup of ##H## of order ##3## since ##|H|=6=3 \cdot 2##, i.e. a cyclic group ##\langle g \,|\,g^3=1 \rangle## which makes ##g## a ##3-##cycle.
WLOG(without loss of generality) let this be (1,2,3).
Then H must have iota,(1,2,3) and (1,2,3)^-1=(3,2,1).
... since you we the consecutive application of permutations from left to right.
Now apply the result from my permutation 2 thread( Prove: a group of even order must have an even number of elements of order 2) to H.
This contradicts the third Sylow theorem and is wrong. E.g. ##S_3=\langle (1), (123), (321),(12),(13),(23) \rangle## has three elements of order ##2## and three is odd, and ##|S_3|=6##.

Maybe you meant: ... of order ##3##. Every element ##g## of order ##3## pairs with a different element ##g^{-1}## also of order ##3##, and no pair contains an element of another pair.
As a result all that's left to do is take three cases, according to which element of order 2 in A4 belongs to H.
In each case compute products and take inverses in H to show H always has more than 6 elements (contradiction)
Again order ##3## I suppose.
 

What is the group A4?

The group A4, also known as the alternating group on 4 elements, is a finite group of even permutations on 4 elements. It has 12 elements and is isomorphic to the group of symmetries of a regular tetrahedron.

What is a subgroup?

A subgroup is a subset of a group that itself forms a group under the same operation. In other words, a subgroup is a smaller group that is contained within a larger group.

Why is it important to prove that A4 has no subgroup of order 6?

Proving that A4 has no subgroup of order 6 is important because it is a fundamental result in group theory. It sheds light on the structure and properties of A4 and helps us understand its relationship with other groups.

How is the proof of this statement typically approached?

The proof typically involves using the concept of cosets and Lagrange's theorem, which states that the order of a subgroup must divide the order of the group. By examining the possible subgroups of A4 and their orders, it can be shown that there is no subgroup of order 6.

Are there any practical applications of this result?

While the result may not have direct practical applications, it has important implications for other areas of mathematics, such as group theory, abstract algebra, and number theory. It also has connections to other fields, such as physics and chemistry, where group theory is used to understand symmetry and other properties of physical systems.

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