DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, MADRAS

EP211 Mathematical Physics Problem Set 2 18.1.2008(due 28.1.2008)

Finite Groups

1. Explicitly write out the multiplication tables for the groups, Z2 Z2 and
Z4 , both of order 4. Hence, show that they are not isomorphic to each
other.
2. (a) Write out the multiplication table for the permutation group S3 . Is it
abelian?
(b) The dihedral group, Dn , is generated by two elements x and y satis-
fying the relations
xn = 1, y 2 = 1, and yx = xn1 y . ()
By working out the multiplication table for D3 , prove the isomorphism,
D3 S 3 .
(c) Obtain subgroups, with order 2 and 3, of S3 and check to see if they are
normal subgroups. If they are normal, obtain the group multiplication
law for the corresponding coset. Is S3 a simple group?
3. Obtain all groups of order 6.
4. Consider the cyclic group Z3 = (e, g, g 2) with g 3 = e. The regular repre-
sentation is three-dimensional with g being represented by the matrix

0 1 0
g M (g) = 0 0 1 .
1 0 0
(a) What does the identity g 3 = e become in this representation? Verify
that it holds.
(b) Obtain the similarity transformation that diagonalises M (g).
5. The character of a representation M of a group G is defined as a map from
G C given by

(g) Tr M (g) g G .
(a) Show that the character is invariant under similarity transformations.
(b) In the regular representation, show that
(e) = ord(G) and (g) = 0 when g 6= e .