Question #144688

Assume that G is a finite group, and that there exist g,h are element of G, g doesnt equal h, such that order(g)=p, order(h)=q, where p and q are distinct primes. What can be concluded about |G|?

Expert's answer

It can be concluded that ∣G∣≥p⋅q.|G|\ge p\cdot q. Indeed, GG contains the subset H={gnhm ∣ 0≤n<p,0≤m<q}H=\{g^nh^m\ |\ 0\le n<p, 0\le m<q\}. If gnhm=gkhsg^nh^m=g^kh^s for some 0≤n,k<p0\le n,k<p and 0≤m,s<q0\le m,s<q, then gn−k=hs−mg^{n-k}=h^{s-m} where −p<n−k<p-p< n-k<p and −q<s−m<q-q< s-m<q. Since order(g)=porder(g)=p and order(h)=qorder(h)=q , where pp and qq are distinct primes, each non-identity element of the cyclic subgroup ⟨g⟩\langle g\rangle has order pp and each non-identity element of the cyclic subgroup ⟨h⟩\langle h\rangle has order qq. Thus, we conclude that gn−k=eg^{n-k}=e and hs−m=eh^{s-m} =e, and consequently the inequalities −p<n−k<p-p< n-k<p and −q<s−m<q-q< s-m<q imply n−k=0n-k=0 and s−m=0s-m=0. Therefore, n=kn=k and s=ms=m, and we conclude that ∣H∣=p⋅q.|H|= p\cdot q.



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