A group is a set G, combined with an operation *, such that:
- The group contains an identity
- The group contains inverses
- The operation is associative
- The group is closed under the operation.
Here P3={I,(1 2),(2 3),(3 1),(1 2 3),(1 3 2)} where I is the identity permutation.
There are six elements in the set P3 .
Let f1=I,f2=(12),f3=(23),f4=(31),f5=(123) and f6=(132)
Let us prepare a composition table for P3 .
For completing the entries in the above table we have actually multiplied the permutations. Thus
f2f3=(12)(23)=(132)=f6f2f4=(12)(31)=(123)=f5f3f3=(23)(23)=f1, the identity permutation. f5f5=(123)(123)=(132)=f6 etc.
Now we observe that
(G1) All entries in the table belong to P3 and therefore P3 is closed with respect to product of permutations.
(G2) Product of permutations is an associative operation.
(G3) The identity permutation f1 is the identity of multiplication.
(G4) Every element of P3 possesses inverse in P3 because
inverse of f1 is f1 ; inverse of f2 is f2 ; inverse of f3 is f3
inverse of f4 is f4 ; inverse of f5 is f5 ; and inverse of f6 is f6 .
(G5) The product of permutations in P3 is not commutative as
f2f3=f6 and f3f2=f5 and f2f3=f3f2 .
Therefore P3 is a finite non-abelian group of order six with respect to permutation multiplication.
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