OCR FP3 2016 June — Question 8

Exam BoardOCR
ModuleFP3 (Further Pure Mathematics 3)
Year2016
SessionJune
TopicGroups

8 A non-commutative multiplicative group \(G\) of order eight has the elements $$\left\{ e , a , a ^ { 2 } , a ^ { 3 } , b , a b , a ^ { 2 } b , a ^ { 3 } b \right\}$$ where \(e\) is the identity and \(a ^ { 4 } = b ^ { 2 } = e\).
  1. Show that \(b a \neq a ^ { n }\) for any integer \(n\).
  2. Prove, by contradiction, that \(b a \neq a ^ { 2 } b\) and also that \(b a \neq a b\). Deduce that \(b a = a ^ { 3 } b\).
  3. Prove that \(b a ^ { 2 } = a ^ { 2 } b\).
  4. Construct group tables for the three subgroups of \(G\) of order four. \section*{END OF QUESTION PAPER}