Line 6: Line 6:
 
Note:  
 
Note:  
 
<math>\sigma</math>  = odd
 
<math>\sigma</math>  = odd
 
----
 
  
 
<math>\beta</math> = odd
 
<math>\beta</math> = odd
  
----
 
  
 
<math>\sigma \beta </math> = even
 
<math>\sigma \beta </math> = even

Revision as of 15:25, 9 September 2008

Question: Show that if H is a subgroup of $ S_n $, then either every member of H is an even permutation or exactly half of the members are even.

Answer: Suppose H contains at least one odd permutation, say $ \sigma $. For each odd permutation $ \beta $, the permutation $ \sigma \beta $ is even.

Note: $ \sigma $ = odd

$ \beta $ = odd


$ \sigma \beta $ = even

Alumni Liaison

Abstract algebra continues the conceptual developments of linear algebra, on an even grander scale.

Dr. Paul Garrett