(New page: I don't quite understand what order is? I was thinking that it had to do with the number of elements in the set.)
 
 
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I don't quite understand what order is?  I was thinking that it had to do with the number of elements in the set.
 
I don't quite understand what order is?  I was thinking that it had to do with the number of elements in the set.
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Yeah I believe that's right. In class we were given the definitions:
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The ''order of a group'' G is the number of elements of G, written |G| <br>
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The ''order of an element'' <math> g \in G </math> is the smallest positive number k such that g*...*g = 1. (k = # of g's being multiplied).
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So for example: <br>
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<math>ord(7+15\mathbb{Z})</math>.
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<p>So to find the order of <math>(7+15\mathbb{Z})</math>, we have to find the numbers of elements in this group.</p>
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To do this, we take: <br>
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7 mod 15 = 7 <br>
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7^2 mod 15 = 4 <br>
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7^3 mod 15 = 13 <br>
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7^4 mod 15 = 1 <br>
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<p>Tip: Instead of taking 7^3 mod 15, you can just take 7*4 = 28 mod 15, since: <br>
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(7^1 * 7^2) mod 15 = (7 * 4) mod 15 = (7^3) mod 15. Similarly, instead of finding 7^4 mod 15, you can just take (4 * 4) mod 15. This saves a lot of calculator hassle.</p>
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Since 7^4 mod 15 is 1, we can stop because we know our cycle is complete. Therefore, we can see our group has 4 elements: (7,4,13,1). <br>
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Hence, <math>ord(7+15\mathbb{Z}) = 4</math> <br>
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Hope the example helps you understand the definition of order. -Jesse
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*I think order is the total number of elements in the set. If I am not mistaken. It is close to performing a mod of a set of elements which gives you the total amount in the set. That's the idea I have.
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-Wooi-Chen

Latest revision as of 18:01, 14 September 2008

I don't quite understand what order is? I was thinking that it had to do with the number of elements in the set.


Yeah I believe that's right. In class we were given the definitions:

The order of a group G is the number of elements of G, written |G|
The order of an element $ g \in G $ is the smallest positive number k such that g*...*g = 1. (k = # of g's being multiplied).

So for example:
$ ord(7+15\mathbb{Z}) $.

So to find the order of $ (7+15\mathbb{Z}) $, we have to find the numbers of elements in this group.

To do this, we take:
7 mod 15 = 7
7^2 mod 15 = 4
7^3 mod 15 = 13
7^4 mod 15 = 1

Tip: Instead of taking 7^3 mod 15, you can just take 7*4 = 28 mod 15, since:
(7^1 * 7^2) mod 15 = (7 * 4) mod 15 = (7^3) mod 15. Similarly, instead of finding 7^4 mod 15, you can just take (4 * 4) mod 15. This saves a lot of calculator hassle.

Since 7^4 mod 15 is 1, we can stop because we know our cycle is complete. Therefore, we can see our group has 4 elements: (7,4,13,1).
Hence, $ ord(7+15\mathbb{Z}) = 4 $
Hope the example helps you understand the definition of order. -Jesse


  • I think order is the total number of elements in the set. If I am not mistaken. It is close to performing a mod of a set of elements which gives you the total amount in the set. That's the idea I have.

-Wooi-Chen

Alumni Liaison

Correspondence Chess Grandmaster and Purdue Alumni

Prof. Dan Fleetwood