# Math 287 homework

Draft Overleaf template

## Week 7 (Due Tuesday, October 11)

1. Let $G$ be a group, let $a$ be an element of $G$, and $a^{-1}$ its inverse. Show that the order of $a$ is equal to the order of $a^{-1}$.
2. Let $G$ be a group and let $a,b$ be elements of $G$. Show that the order of $ab$ is equal to the order of $ba$.
3. (Scheinerman 43.1,2 modified) For all $a\in\mathbb Z_{13}$ calculate $a^{13}$. For all $a\in\mathbb Z_{15}^*$ calculate $a^{15}$.
4. (Scheinerman 43.3,4 modified) Without any big calculations, what is $3^{205}\pmod{101}$? What is $2^{1,000,000}\pmod{101}$?
5. Let $n$ be any integer, and let $\phi(n)$ denote the number of elements of $(\mathbb Z_n)^\ast$. Show that if $a,n$ have no common factors, then $a^\phi(n)\equiv1\pmod(n)$.

## Week 6 (Due Tuesday, October 4)

1. (Scheinerman 40.2) Define an operation on $\mathbb R$ by $x\cdot y=x+y-xy$. Is it closed? Associative? Commutative? Is there an identity element? If there is an identity, are there inverses? In sum, is it a group?
2. (Scheinerman 40.9 & 17) Show that if $G$ is a group, then $(g^{-1})^{-1}=g$ and $(gh)^{-1}=h^{-1}\cdot g^{-1}$.
3. Show that if $a$ and $n$ have a common factor greater than $1$, then $a$ does not have an inverse in $\mathbb{Z}_n$.
4. Use successive division and back-solving to find the inverse of $137$ in $\mathbb{Z}_{350}$. Verify that your answer is correct by showing that $137$ times your answer is equivalent to $1$.
5. (Scheinerman 40.15) Use $\LaTeX$ to write your solution to this question. Show that if $G$ is a group, then the function $f(g)=g^{-1}$ is a bijection of $G$ with itself.

## Week 5 (Due Tuesday, September 27)

1. (See Scheinerman 37.2) Solve the equations in the specified $\mathbb Z_n$.
• $3x=4$ in $\mathbb Z_{11}$
• $4x-8=9$ in $\mathbb Z_{11}$
• $3x+8=1$ in $\mathbb Z_{10}$
2. Consider the permutation of the set $\set{1,\ldots,10}$ defined by $\pi(i)=3i\pmod{11}$. Write $\pi$ in cycle notation.
3. Use your work from the group activity on repeated squaring to calculate the modular powers.
• $2^{120}\pmod{9}$
• $3^{1500}\pmod{11}$
4. (Scheinerman 37.10) In usual arithmetic, $ab=0$ if and only if $a=0$ or $b=0$. For which $n$ is this statement true in $\mathbb Z_n$? Prove your answer.
5. (Scheinerman 37.13) Working in $\mathbb Z_n$, prove that $n-1$ is its own inverse.
6. Let’s do some $\LaTeX$! Write a practice document of 1-2 pages on Overleaf. Your writing doesn’t have to make any sense, just show me you can use some of the common features of $\LaTeX$. You can copy some of the text and equations from the textbook or an article that you find online! Make sure to include at least one of each of the following:
• A title and author
• A section and subsection
• A paragraph with some inline equations
• A big gnarly centered equation with lots and lots of symbols
• An equation with a fraction in it
• An equation with multiple lines (learn the “align” environment)
• A theorem, lemma, definition, or exercise environment
• A short table

## Week 4 (Due Tuesday, September 20)

1. (Scheinerman 27.2) Convert each of the following permutations to cycle notation.
• $\sigma=\begin{bmatrix}1&2&3&4&5&6\\2&4&6&1&3&5\end{bmatrix}$
• $\pi=\begin{bmatrix}1&2&3&4&5&6\\2&3&4&5&6&1\end{bmatrix}$
• $\pi^2$
• $\pi^{-1}$
• The identity of $S_5$
• $(1,2)\circ(2,3)\circ(3,4)\circ(4,5)\circ(5,1)$
• (skip part g)
2. (Scheinerman 27.7 modified) Suppose that $\sigma,\tau$ are transpositions, that is, they are cycles of length $2$. When is it true that $\sigma\circ\tau=\tau\circ\sigma$? Prove your answer.
3. (Scheinerman 27.13) Let $\pi=(1,2)(3,4,5,6,7)(8,9,10,11)(12)\in S_{12}$. Find the least natural number $k$ such that $\pi^k=()$. (The symbol () means the identity permutation.) Then generalize your method to answer the question: if $\pi$ consists of disjoint cycles of length $n_1,\ldots,n_m$, then what is the least $k$ such that $\pi^k=()$? Explain your answer (you do not need to give a formal proof).
4. (Scheinerman 27.15 and 16)
• Prove that if $\pi,\sigma\in S_n$ and $\pi\circ\sigma=\sigma$, then $\pi=$ the identity.
• Prove that if $\pi,\sigma,\tau\in S_n$ and $\pi\circ\sigma=\pi\circ\tau$, then $\sigma=\tau$.
5. Draw a square and label the corners $1,2,3,4$ in clockwise order. Some permutations of the set $\set{1,2,3,4}$ leave the square intact, while others “break” it. (For example, $(1234)$ rotates the square clockwise, leaving the square intact. On the other hand, $(12)$ makes $1$ be between $2$ and $3$, breaking the square.) Find all eight permutations that leave the square intact, and write them all in cycle notation.

## Week 3 (Due Tuesday, September 13)

1. (Similar to Scheinerman 24.23)
• Let $f(x)=\abs{x}$ and $X=(-4,-2)\cup(1,3)$. Find $f(X)$.
• Let $f(x)=\sin(x)$ and $X=[0,\pi]$. Find $f(X)$.
• Let $f(x)=2^x$ and $X=[-1,1]$. Find $f(X)$.
• Let $f(x)=3x-1$ and $X=\set{1}$. Find $f(X)$. Compare the answer with $f(1)$.
• If $X$ is the domain of $f$, what is another name for $f(X)$?
2. (Similar to Scheinerman 24.24)
• Let $f(x)=\abs{x}$ and $Y=\set{-1,1,2,3}$. Find $f^{-1}(Y)$.
• Let $f(x)=x^2$ and $Y=[1,2]$. Find $f^{-1}(Y)$.
• Let $f(x)=1/(1+x^2)$ and $Y=\set{1/2}$. Find $f^{-1}(Y)$.
• Let $f(x)=1/(1+x^2)$ and $Y=\set{-1/2}$. Find $f^{-1}(Y)$.
3. Let $f\colon A\to B$ be a function and $X\subset A$. Prove that $f^{-1}(f(X))\supset X$. Give an example where equality is true. Give an example where equality is not true. [Hint for the last part: use the old favorite $f(x)=x^2$.]

## Week 2 (Due Thursday, September 8)

For background, read Scheinerman section 12, or MCC chapter 4.

1. Use induction to prove the following: If $A$ is a set of size $n$ then $P(A)$ is a set of size $2^n$.
2. Use a LHS/RHS argument to prove that $A\triangle(B\triangle C)=(A\triangle B)\triangle C$.
3. Use a LHS/RHS argument to prove that $(A\setminus B)\cup(B\setminus A)=(A\cup B)\setminus(A\cap B)$.
4. (Scheinerman 12.17) Assume $A,B$ are nonempty. Prove that $A\times B=B\times A$ if and only if $A=B$. What goes wrong if either $A$ or $B$ is empty?
5. (Scheinerman 24.14) Decide with proof whether each of the functions is injective, surjective, both or neither.
• $f\colon\mathbb Z\to\mathbb Z$ defined by $f(x)=2x$
• $f\colon\mathbb Z\to\mathbb Z$ defined by $f(x)=10+x$
• $f\colon\mathbb N\to\mathbb N$ defined by $f(x)=10+x$
• $f\colon\mathbb Z\to\mathbb Z$ defined by $f(x)=x/2$ if $x$ is even and $f(x)=(x-1)/2$ if $x$ is odd
• $f\colon\mathbb Q\to\mathbb Q$ defined by $f(x)=x^2$
6. For each pair of sets $A,B$, find a bijective function with domain $A$ and codomain $B$.
• $A=(2,3)$, $B=(4,7)$
• $A=\mathbb R$, $B=(0,\infty)$
• $A=\mathbb R$, $B=(0,1)$
• $A=\mathbb [0,1]$, $B=[0,1)$

## Week 1 (Due Tuesday, August 30)

For background, read Scheinerman section 22 book, or MCC section 3.6. You can also watch Khan’s video on induction. Then use induction to solve each of the following exercises.

1. Prove that for all $n\geq1$, we have $2^0+2^1+2^2+\cdots+2^n=2^{n+1}-1$.
2. Prove that for all $n\geq1$, we have $\left(\frac12\right)^0+\left(\frac12\right)^1+\left(\frac12\right)^2+\cdots+\left(\frac12\right)^n=2-\left(\frac12\right)^n$.
3. Prove that for all $n\geq1$, the quantity $n^3+5n+6$ is divisible by $3$.
4. Consider the recursive definition: $x_1=0$ and $x_{n+1}=\sqrt{2+x_n}$. Prove that for all $n\geq1$, we have $x_n\lt2$.
5. Using the same recursive definition as above, prove that for all $n\geq1$, we have $x_n\lt x_{n+1}$.