Simplicity is directed union-closed

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Revision as of 17:33, 7 September 2008 by Vipul (talk | contribs) (New page: {{group metaproperty satisfaction| property = simple group| metaproperty = directed union-closed group property}} ==Statement== ===Verbal statement=== A directed union of simple subgrou...)
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This article gives the statement, and possibly proof, of a group property (i.e., simple group) satisfying a group metaproperty (i.e., directed union-closed group property)
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Statement

Verbal statement

A directed union of simple subgroups is simple.

Statement with symbols

Suppose G is a group, I is a nonempty directed set, and Hi,iI is a collection of subgroups such that i<jHiHj. Then, if all the His are simple, so is their union.

Definitions used

Directed set

A directed set is a partially ordered set (I,) such that if i,jI, there exists kI, such that ik,jk.

Simple group

A nontrivial group is simple if it has no proper nontrivial normal subgroup.

Facts used

  1. Directed union of subgroups is subgroup
  2. Normality satisfies transfer condition: The intersection of a normal subgroup with another subgroup is normal in that subgroup.

Proof

Given: A group G, a collection of simple subgroups Hi indexed by a directed set I, such that i<jHiHj.

To prove: The union of Hi is a simple subgroup.

Proof: Suppose H is the union of the His. By fact (1), H is a subgroup, so it suffices to show that H is simple. We do this by showing that any normal subgroup N of H is either trivial or equal to H.

For each i, consider NHi. By fact (2), this is a normal subgroup of Hi, hence is either trivial or equals the whole of Hi. Suppose NHi=Hi. Then, N is a normal subgroup of H containing Hi.

Now, consider any subgroup Hj,ji. By the definition of directed set, there exists kI such that i,j<k. So, Hk contains both Hi and Hj. Thus, the intersection NHk is nontrivial (since the intersection contains Hi). By the simplicity of Hk, and fact (2) again, NHk=Hk, so HkN. In particular, HjN. Thus, every Hj,jI, is contained in N, Thus, N=H.

Thus, if NHi=Hi for any iI, N=H. This leaves the case that NHi is trivial for every iI, forcing N(i)Hi to be trivial, and thus forcing NH=N to be trivial.