Questions on the symmetric group

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the properties of elements in the symmetric group Sn, specifically focusing on the conditions under which an element has order p, where p is a prime number. The original poster presents a proof involving cycle decomposition and commuting cycles.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to prove that an element has order p in Sn if and only if its cycle decomposition consists of commuting p-cycles. Some participants question the validity of the proof and the assumptions made regarding disjoint cycles and their commutativity.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively engaging with the original poster's proof, providing feedback and seeking clarification on specific points. There is an ongoing exploration of the relationship between the cycle decomposition and the properties of the elements in Sn, with some guidance offered regarding the need to clarify certain steps in the proof.

Contextual Notes

It is noted that the original poster is constrained by the requirement not to use a specific rule regarding the order of elements in Sn, which has not been covered in their source material.

Maths Lover
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first ,
if p is prime , show that an element has order p in Sn iff it's cycle decomosition is a product of commuting p-cycles

my solution is very diffrent about the one in the book and I don't know if my strategy is right

my proof
______
let T is an element of Sn
and the cycle decomposition of T = t1 t2 t3 ... tm
t1 , t2 , ... , tm are disjoint cycle
so
ti tj = tj ti for all i,j
T^p = ( t1 t2 ... tm )^p = (t1)^p (t2)^p ... (tm)^p
now , ti , tj are 2 disjoint cycle so if ti or tj are not equal to identity permutation then ,
ti tj =\= e

now if T^p = 1
then
(t1)^p (t2)^p ... (tm)^p = 1
but (t1)^p , (t2)^p , ... , (tm)^p are disjoint
so if (ti)^p =\= 1 for all i then
(t1)^p (t2)^p ... (tm)^p =\= 1
but (t1)^p (t2)^p ... (tm)^p = 1
so it's nessary that
(ti)^p = 1 for all i
so
l ti l = p
and ti 's are commuting because they are disjoint

so we proved that order of T = p where p is prime then it's cycle decomposition has the same order p
now
every t1 is a p-cycle

is this right ?

the otherway is easy to prove

please help


in this question we can't use the rule which says @ order of an element in Sn is the LCD of the lenghts of the cycles in its cycle decomposition because this rule didn't come in the book and I search for a proof without it
 
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here is the question on more clear way

prove that :

676955475.png
 
On the face of it, that's a rather different question (though no doubt they're equivalent in some way). So if the second post is the real question to be answered, please repost your proof in a way that relates more directly to it.
 
haruspex said:
On the face of it, that's a rather different question (though no doubt they're equivalent in some way). So if the second post is the real question to be answered, please repost your proof in a way that relates more directly to it.

sorry , a mistake was made !
my question is the first one ,
the second one I work on it

so , does my attempt on the first question is right or not ?!
 
Maths Lover said:
if T^p = 1
then
(t1)^p (t2)^p ... (tm)^p = 1
Not immediately. Tp = ((t1) (t2) ... (tm))p = 1. You need to use the fact that (t1) , (t2) , ... , (tm) are disjoint to show they commute.
 
haruspex said:
Not immediately. Tp = ((t1) (t2) ... (tm))p = 1. You need to use the fact that (t1) , (t2) , ... , (tm) are disjoint to show they commute.

yes , I said that t1 , t2 , ... , tm are disjoint beacuse t's are the cycle decomposition
so they are disjoint so they are commuting with each other !
 
Maths Lover said:
yes , I said that t1 , t2 , ... , tm are disjoint beacuse t's are the cycle decomposition
so they are disjoint so they are commuting with each other !
Yes, you said that later, but not at the point where you made use of it.
 
haruspex said:
Yes, you said that later, but not at the point where you made use of it.

ok :) thank you
 

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