Line 11: Line 11:
 
Say you want to find all subgroups of <math>Z_n</math>.  The corrolary states that, for each positive divisor k of n, the set <math>\langle n/k \rangle</math> is the unique subgroup of <math>Z_n</math> of order k.  It also states that these subgroups are the only ones <math>Z_n</math> has.
 
Say you want to find all subgroups of <math>Z_n</math>.  The corrolary states that, for each positive divisor k of n, the set <math>\langle n/k \rangle</math> is the unique subgroup of <math>Z_n</math> of order k.  It also states that these subgroups are the only ones <math>Z_n</math> has.
 
Hence, to enumerate the subgroups, just find all the positive integer divisors of n (in this case 20), and use them to generate the subgroups.
 
Hence, to enumerate the subgroups, just find all the positive integer divisors of n (in this case 20), and use them to generate the subgroups.
 +
 +
 +
----
 +
 +
Confusion...
 +
So, does it mean generator = subgroup? I mean,... like for the example above, 1,2,4,5,10,20 are the generators and <1>,<2>,<4>.... are the subgroup??? Correct me if I'm wrong... Thanks
 +
 +
--[[User:Mmohamad|Mmohamad]] 21:07, 21 September 2008 (UTC)

Revision as of 16:07, 21 September 2008

I do not understand how to tell what a generator of a subgroup is? I think that the subgroups of Z20 are (1,2,4,5,10,20), but that also might not be right. Anyways I could use a little explanation please.


Check the back of the book. Theres a selected answer/hint section. It gives some good information about the problem. The subgroups are given by (1,2,4,5,10,20), which are the generators. So I think you are on the right track. Hope that helps.



There is a corrolary to the Fundamental Theorem of Cyclic Groups on page 79 of the textbook that is really useful for this problem. Say you want to find all subgroups of $ Z_n $. The corrolary states that, for each positive divisor k of n, the set $ \langle n/k \rangle $ is the unique subgroup of $ Z_n $ of order k. It also states that these subgroups are the only ones $ Z_n $ has. Hence, to enumerate the subgroups, just find all the positive integer divisors of n (in this case 20), and use them to generate the subgroups.



Confusion... So, does it mean generator = subgroup? I mean,... like for the example above, 1,2,4,5,10,20 are the generators and <1>,<2>,<4>.... are the subgroup??? Correct me if I'm wrong... Thanks

--Mmohamad 21:07, 21 September 2008 (UTC)

Alumni Liaison

Ph.D. on Applied Mathematics in Aug 2007. Involved on applications of image super-resolution to electron microscopy

Francisco Blanco-Silva