IB DP Maths Topic 8.7 The operation table of a group is a Latin square, but the converse is false. HL Paper 3

Question

The binary operation \( * \) is defined by

\(a * b = a + b – 3\) for \(a,{\text{ }}b \in \mathbb{Z}\).

The binary operation \( \circ \) is defined by

\(a \circ b = a + b + 3\) for \(a,{\text{ }}b \in \mathbb{Z}\).

Consider the group \(\{ \mathbb{Z},{\text{ }} \circ {\text{\} }}\) and the bijection \(f:\mathbb{Z} \to \mathbb{Z}\) given by \(f(a) = a – 6\).

a.Show that \(\{ \mathbb{Z},{\text{ }} * \} \) is an Abelian group.[9]

b.Show that there is no element of order 2.[2]

c.Find a proper subgroup of \(\{ \mathbb{Z},{\text{ }} * \} \).[2]

d.Show that the groups \(\{ \mathbb{Z},{\text{ }} * \} \) and \(\{ \mathbb{Z},{\text{ }} \circ \} \) are isomorphic.[3]

 
▶️Answer/Explanation

Markscheme

closure: \(\{ \mathbb{Z},{\text{ }} * \} \) is closed because \(a + b – 3 \in \mathbb{Z}\)     R1

identity: \(a * e = a + e – 3 = a\)     (M1)

\(e = 3\)     A1

inverse: \(a * {a^{ – 1}} = a + {a^{ – 1}} – 3 = 3\)     (M1)

\({a^{ – 1}} = 6 – a\)     A1

associative: \(a * (b * c) = a * (b + c – 3) = a + b + c – 6\)     A1

\(\left( {a{\text{ }}*{\text{ }}b} \right){\text{ }}*{\text{ }}c{\text{ }} = \left( {a{\text{ }} + {\text{ }}b{\text{ }} – {\text{ }}3} \right)*{\text{ }}c{\text{ }} = {\text{ }}a{\text{ }} + {\text{ }}b{\text{ }} + {\text{ }}c{\text{ }} – {\text{ }}6\)    A1

associative because \(a * (b * c) = (a * b) * c\)     R1

\(b * a = b + a – 3 = a + b – 3 = a * b\) therefore commutative hence Abelian     R1

hence \(\{ \mathbb{Z},{\text{ }} * \} \) is an Abelian group     AG

[9 marks]

a.

if \(a\) is of order 2 then \(a * a = 2a – 3 = 3\) therefore \(a = 3\)     A1

which is a contradiction

since \(e = 3\) and has order 1     R1

Note:     R1 for recognising that the identity has order 1.

[2 marks]

b.

for example \(S = \{ – 6,{\text{ }} – 3,{\text{ }}0,{\text{ }}3,{\text{ }}6 \ldots \} \) or \(S = \{ \ldots ,{\text{ }} – 1,{\text{ }}1,{\text{ }}3,{\text{ }}5,{\text{ }}7 \ldots \} \)     A1R1

Note:     R1 for deducing, justifying or verifying that \(\left\{ {S, * } \right\}\) is indeed a proper subgroup.

[2 marks]

c.

we need to show that \(f(a * b) = f(a) \circ f(b)\)     R1

\(f(a * b) = f(a + b – 3) = a + b – 9\)     A1

\(f(a) \circ f(b) = (a – 6) \circ (b – 6) = a + b – 9\)     A1

hence isomorphic     AG

Note:     R1 for recognising that \(f\) preserves the operation; award R1A0A0 for an attempt to show that \(f(a \circ b) = f(a) * f(b)\).

[3 marks]

d.

Question

The binary operation \( * \) is defined by

\(a * b = a + b – 3\) for \(a,{\text{ }}b \in \mathbb{Z}\).

The binary operation \( \circ \) is defined by

\(a \circ b = a + b + 3\) for \(a,{\text{ }}b \in \mathbb{Z}\).

Consider the group \(\{ \mathbb{Z},{\text{ }} \circ {\text{\} }}\) and the bijection \(f:\mathbb{Z} \to \mathbb{Z}\) given by \(f(a) = a – 6\).

a.Show that \(\{ \mathbb{Z},{\text{ }} * \} \) is an Abelian group.[9]

b.Show that there is no element of order 2.[2]

c.Find a proper subgroup of \(\{ \mathbb{Z},{\text{ }} * \} \).[2]

d.Show that the groups \(\{ \mathbb{Z},{\text{ }} * \} \) and \(\{ \mathbb{Z},{\text{ }} \circ \} \) are isomorphic.[3]

▶️Answer/Explanation

Markscheme

closure: \(\{ \mathbb{Z},{\text{ }} * \} \) is closed because \(a + b – 3 \in \mathbb{Z}\)     R1

identity: \(a * e = a + e – 3 = a\)     (M1)

\(e = 3\)     A1

inverse: \(a * {a^{ – 1}} = a + {a^{ – 1}} – 3 = 3\)     (M1)

\({a^{ – 1}} = 6 – a\)     A1

associative: \(a * (b * c) = a * (b + c – 3) = a + b + c – 6\)     A1

\(\left( {a{\text{ }}*{\text{ }}b} \right){\text{ }}*{\text{ }}c{\text{ }} = \left( {a{\text{ }} + {\text{ }}b{\text{ }} – {\text{ }}3} \right)*{\text{ }}c{\text{ }} = {\text{ }}a{\text{ }} + {\text{ }}b{\text{ }} + {\text{ }}c{\text{ }} – {\text{ }}6\)    A1

associative because \(a * (b * c) = (a * b) * c\)     R1

\(b * a = b + a – 3 = a + b – 3 = a * b\) therefore commutative hence Abelian     R1

hence \(\{ \mathbb{Z},{\text{ }} * \} \) is an Abelian group     AG

[9 marks]

a.

if \(a\) is of order 2 then \(a * a = 2a – 3 = 3\) therefore \(a = 3\)     A1

which is a contradiction

since \(e = 3\) and has order 1     R1

Note:     R1 for recognising that the identity has order 1.

[2 marks]

b.

for example \(S = \{ – 6,{\text{ }} – 3,{\text{ }}0,{\text{ }}3,{\text{ }}6 \ldots \} \) or \(S = \{ \ldots ,{\text{ }} – 1,{\text{ }}1,{\text{ }}3,{\text{ }}5,{\text{ }}7 \ldots \} \)     A1R1

Note:     R1 for deducing, justifying or verifying that \(\left\{ {S, * } \right\}\) is indeed a proper subgroup.

[2 marks]

c.

we need to show that \(f(a * b) = f(a) \circ f(b)\)     R1

\(f(a * b) = f(a + b – 3) = a + b – 9\)     A1

\(f(a) \circ f(b) = (a – 6) \circ (b – 6) = a + b – 9\)     A1

hence isomorphic     AG

Note:     R1 for recognising that \(f\) preserves the operation; award R1A0A0 for an attempt to show that \(f(a \circ b) = f(a) * f(b)\).

[3 marks]

Question

Associativity and commutativity are two of the five conditions for a set S with the binary operation \( * \) to be an Abelian group; state the other three conditions.[2]

a.

The Cayley table for the binary operation \( \odot \) defined on the set T = {p, q, r, s, t} is given below.

 

 

(i)     Show that exactly three of the conditions for {T , \( \odot \)} to be an Abelian group are satisfied, but that neither associativity nor commutativity are satisfied. 

(ii)     Find the proper subsets of T that are groups of order 2, and comment on your result in the context of Lagrange’s theorem. 

(iii)     Find the solutions of the equation \((p \odot x) \odot x = x \odot p\) .[15]

b.
▶️Answer/Explanation

Markscheme

closure, identity, inverse     A2 

Note: Award A1 for two correct properties, A0 otherwise.

[2 marks]

a.

(i)     closure: there are no extra elements in the table     R1

identity: s is a (left and right) identity     R1

inverses: all elements are self-inverse     R1

commutative: no, because the table is not symmetrical about the leading diagonal, or by counterexample     R1

associativity: for example, \((pq)t = rt = p\)     M1A1

not associative because \(p(qt) = pr = t \ne p\)     R1 

Note: Award M1A1 for 1 complete example whether or not it shows non-associativity.

(ii)     \(\{ s,\,p\} ,{\text{ }}\{ s,\,q\} ,{\text{ }}\{ s,\,r\} ,{\text{ }}\{ s,\,t\} \)     A2 

Note: Award A1 for 2 or 3 correct sets.

 

as 2 does not divide 5, Lagrange’s theorem would have been contradicted if T had been a group     R1

 

(iii)     any attempt at trying values     (M1)

the solutions are q, r, s and t     A1A1A1A1 

Note: Deduct A1 if p is included.

[15 marks]

b.

Question

(a)     Write down why the table below is a Latin square.

\[\begin{gathered}
  \begin{array}{*{20}{c}}
  {}&d&e&b&a&c
\end{array} \\
  \begin{array}{*{20}{c}}
  d \\
  e \\
  b \\
  a \\
  c
\end{array}\left[ {\begin{array}{*{20}{c}}
  c&d&e&b&a \\
  d&e&b&a&c \\
  a&b&d&c&e \\
  b&a&c&e&d \\
  e&c&a&d&b
\end{array}} \right] \\
\end{gathered} \]

(b)     Use Lagrange’s theorem to show that the table is not a group table.

▶️Answer/Explanation

Markscheme

(a)     Each row and column contains all the elements of the set.     A1A1

[2 marks]

 

(b)     There are 5 elements therefore any subgroup must be of an order that is a factor of 5     R2

But there is a subgroup \(\begin{gathered}
  \begin{array}{*{20}{c}}
  {}&e&a
\end{array} \\
  \begin{array}{*{20}{c}}
  e \\
  a
\end{array}\left( {\begin{array}{*{20}{c}}
  e&a \\
  a&e
\end{array}} \right) \\
\end{gathered} \) of order 2 so the table is not a group table     R2

Note: Award R0R2 for “a is an element of order 2 which does not divide the order of the group”.

 

[4 marks]

Total [6 marks]

Examiners report

Part (a) presented no problem but finding the order two subgroups (Lagrange’s theorem was often quoted correctly) was beyond some candidates. Possibly presenting the set in non-alphabetical order was the problem.

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