Describe the left cosets of \(SL_2( {\mathbb R} )\) in \(GL_2( {\mathbb R})\text{.}\) What is the index of \(SL_2( {\mathbb R} )\) in \(GL_2( {\mathbb R})\text{?}\)
If \(ghg^{-1} \in H\) for all \(g \in G\) and \(h \in H\text{,}\) show that right cosets are identical to left cosets. That is, show that \(gH = Hg\) for all \(g \in G\text{.}\)
The cycle structure of a permutation \(\sigma\) is defined as the unordered list of the sizes of the cycles in the cycle decomposition \(\sigma\text{.}\) For example, the permutation \(\sigma = (1 \, 2)(3 \, 4 \, 5)(7 \, 8)(9)\) has cycle structure \((2,3,2,1)\) which can also be written as \((1, 2, 2, 3)\text{.}\)
Show that any two permutations \(\alpha, \beta \in S_n\) have the same cycle structure if and only if there exists a permutation \(\gamma\) such that \(\beta = \gamma \alpha \gamma^{-1}\text{.}\) If \(\beta = \gamma \alpha \gamma^{-1}\) for some \(\gamma \in S_n\text{,}\) then \(\alpha\) and \(\beta\) are conjugate.
If \(|G| = 2n\text{,}\) prove that the number of elements of order \(2\) is odd. Use this result to show that \(G\) must contain a subgroup of order 2.
Let \(H\) and \(K\) be subgroups of a group \(G\text{.}\) Define a relation \(\sim\) on \(G\) by \(a \sim b\) if there exists an \(h \in H\) and a \(k \in K\) such that \(hak = b\text{.}\) Show that this relation is an equivalence relation. The corresponding equivalence classes are called double cosets. Compute the double cosets of \(H = \{ (1),(1 \, 2 \, 3), (1 \, 3 \, 2) \}\) in \(A_4\text{.}\)