DISCRETE STRUCTURES AND THEORY OF LOGIC (DSTL)

KCS-303
Unit-4
Cosets and Normal Subgroup

1
 Cosets
If H is a sub group of (G, * ) and a  G then the set
Ha = {h * ah  H} is called a right coset of H in G.
Similarly
aH = {a * h h  H} is called a left coset of H in G.
Note:
1) aH and Ha both are subsets of G
2) If e is the identity element of G then He = H = eH
3) Any two left (right) cosets of H in G are either identical or
disjoint.
4) Let H be a sub group of G. Then the right cosets of H form
a partition of G. i.e., the union of all right cosets of a sub
group H is equal to G.
2
 Cosets Contd..
5) If the group G is abelian, then we have ah = ha for all h  H
Therefore aH = Ha.
Example: Let G be the additive group of integers
i.e. G = { ………, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, ………… }
Let H be the subgroup of G
i.e. H = { ………., -9, -6, -3, 0, 3, 6, 9, ………... }
Since the group is abelian, any left coset will be equal to the
corresponding right coset.
Let us form the right cosets of H in G
We have 0G and H+0 = H = {……., -9, -6, -3, 0, 3, 6, 9, …… }
1G and H+1 = { ……, -8, -5, -2, 1, 4, 7, 10, …… }

3
 Cosets Contd..
2G and H+2 = { ……, -7, -4, -1, 2, 5, 8, 11, …… }
3G and H+3 = { ……, -6, -3, 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, ……. }
4G and H+4 = { ……, -5, -2, 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, …… }
5G and H+5 = { ……, -4, -1, 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, …….}
Note: we see that the right cosets H, H+1, H+2 are all distinct
and are disjoint.
Also we observe that H+3=H, H+4=H+1, H+5=H+2, H+6=H,
H+(-1)=H+2, H+(-2)=H+1 and so on
Hence we have only 3 distinct right cosets i.e. H, H+1, H+2
Obviously
G = H  (H+1)  (H+2).

4
 Lagrange’s Theorem
Lagrange’s theorem: The order of each sub group H of a finite
group G is a divisor of the order of the group.
Proof: Since G is finite group, H is finite.
 Therefore, the number of cosets of H in G is finite.
 Let Ha1,Ha2, …,Har be the distinct right cosets of H in G.
 Then, G = Ha1Ha2 …, Har
 So that O(G) = O(Ha1)+O(Ha2) …+ O(Har).
 But, O(Ha1) = O(Ha2) = ….. = O(Har) = O(H)
  O(G) = O(H)+O(H) …+ O(H). (r terms)
 = r . O(H)
 This shows that O(H) divides O(G).
5
 Normal Subgroup
 A subgroup H of a group G is said to be a normal subgroup
of G if for every a  G, Ha = aH.
OR
 A subgroup H of a group G is said to be a normal subgroup
of G if for every x  G and h  H, xhx-1  H.
Q. Show that every subgroup of an abelian group is a normal
subgroup
Sol. Let G be a group and let H be a subgroup of G
Suppose x  G and h  H, then
xhx-1 = x(hx-1) = x(x-1h) as G is abelian
= xx-1h = eh as xx-1 = e
= h as e is the identity.
But we have h  H  xhx-1  H.
Hence H is a normal subgroup
6
Thank You