The test will be in roughly
the following format: there will be two parts, one on theory and one on
computation. Each part will contain 4 or 5 problems, and you will
have to do three of them. Here are brief outlines of all the
sections we have covered, along with numerous review problems.
There are probably too many review problems for you to do all of them,
so I suggest you read over them and try to figure out solutions to
those you are not sure how to do. Many of them won't take too
long.
Chapter 0: Know the division algorithm,
Theorem 2 (GCD(a,b) is a linear combination of a and b),
and Euclid's Lemma (p | ab implies p | a or p | b).
Be comfortable with arithmetic in Z_n and induction arguments.
Everything in the section on functions is prerequisite material.
Problems: 13, 26, 27
Chapter 1: Be able to compute in D_n, especially D_4.
Problems: 10, 12, 16
Chapter 2: Definition of groups, basic examples and properties
(Theorems 1-3).
Problems: 8, 13, 24, 30, 36 (use Chapter 4 for 36)
Chapter 3: Order, subgroups.
Theorems 1-3 tell you how to decide if a given subset is a
subgroup.
Know <a>, Z(G), and C_a(G).
Problems: 7, 11, 13, 24, 27, 34, 36, 52-54 (52-54 are proofs:
good practice)
Chapter 4: Cyclic groups: this section is very important.
Theorem 1: when a^i = a^j.
Its corollaries: |a| = |<a>|, and a^k = e iff |a| divides k.
Theorem 2: In Z_n, <a^k> = <a^d> for d = GCD(k,n).
Its corollaries: when <a^i> = <a^j>, which a^i generate
<a>, which i generate Z_n.
Theorem 3: Complete description of the subgroups of cyclic
groups. (Crucial!).
Theorem 4: If d | n, the number of elelments of order d
in a cyclic group of order n is phi(d).
Its cor.: phi(d) divides the number of elements of order d in any
group. (Useful!)
Problems: 7, 24, 25, 32, 34, 39, 44, 50, 55, 56, 58, 59, 63, 64
Chapter 5: Permutation groups. Know 2-line and cycle
notation.
Given x in S_n, be able to find x as a product of disjoint cycles,
and as a
product of 2-cycles.
Be able to compute products, inverses, and orders in S_n.
Know what A_n is and how to decide if a cycle is odd or even.
Problems: 8, 21, 23, 31, 43, 45, 49
Chapter 6: Isomorphisms. Know their definition. We'll
skip Theorem 1.
Theorems 2-3: properties of isomorphisms.
Be able to prove whether or not two groups are isomorphic.
Know what Inn(G) and Aut(G) are.
Thm 5: Aut(Z_n) = U_n
Problems: 9, 19-21, 40-42
Chapter 7: Cosets: know their properties. We covered up
through Corollary 5.
Lagrange's Theorem: if H a subgroup of G, then |H| divides |G|.
Corollaries: (1) The number of cosets is |G| / |H|.
(2) |a| divides |G| for all a in G.
(3) |G| prime implies G cyclic.
(4) a^|G| = e for all a in G.
(5) For all a in Z_p, a^p = a.
Problems: 4, 9, 13, 23, 30, 34