Does this property characterize abelian groups?












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$begingroup$


Let $G$ be a group. Suppose there exists an integer $k>1$ and a non-identity permutation $pi in S_k$ such that for all $x_1, x_2 cdots x_k neq mathbf{1} in G$ we have that $x_1x_2x_3 cdots x_k = x_{pi(1)}x_{pi(2)}x_{pi(3)} cdots x_{pi(k)}$. Must $G$ be abelian?



This question is motivated by this. I've attempted to use Andrés technique in the linked post again here, but to no avail. I've also attempted to look at classical non-abelian groups like $S_3$ and $GL_n(mathbf{C})$ for counterexamples but also to no avail.



If this is false, is it possible that there's some conditions on the permutation $pi$ which makes this true? Because, again looking over the linked post, it is clear that some permutations force abelianness.










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$endgroup$

















    8












    $begingroup$


    Let $G$ be a group. Suppose there exists an integer $k>1$ and a non-identity permutation $pi in S_k$ such that for all $x_1, x_2 cdots x_k neq mathbf{1} in G$ we have that $x_1x_2x_3 cdots x_k = x_{pi(1)}x_{pi(2)}x_{pi(3)} cdots x_{pi(k)}$. Must $G$ be abelian?



    This question is motivated by this. I've attempted to use Andrés technique in the linked post again here, but to no avail. I've also attempted to look at classical non-abelian groups like $S_3$ and $GL_n(mathbf{C})$ for counterexamples but also to no avail.



    If this is false, is it possible that there's some conditions on the permutation $pi$ which makes this true? Because, again looking over the linked post, it is clear that some permutations force abelianness.










    share|cite|improve this question











    $endgroup$















      8












      8








      8


      2



      $begingroup$


      Let $G$ be a group. Suppose there exists an integer $k>1$ and a non-identity permutation $pi in S_k$ such that for all $x_1, x_2 cdots x_k neq mathbf{1} in G$ we have that $x_1x_2x_3 cdots x_k = x_{pi(1)}x_{pi(2)}x_{pi(3)} cdots x_{pi(k)}$. Must $G$ be abelian?



      This question is motivated by this. I've attempted to use Andrés technique in the linked post again here, but to no avail. I've also attempted to look at classical non-abelian groups like $S_3$ and $GL_n(mathbf{C})$ for counterexamples but also to no avail.



      If this is false, is it possible that there's some conditions on the permutation $pi$ which makes this true? Because, again looking over the linked post, it is clear that some permutations force abelianness.










      share|cite|improve this question











      $endgroup$




      Let $G$ be a group. Suppose there exists an integer $k>1$ and a non-identity permutation $pi in S_k$ such that for all $x_1, x_2 cdots x_k neq mathbf{1} in G$ we have that $x_1x_2x_3 cdots x_k = x_{pi(1)}x_{pi(2)}x_{pi(3)} cdots x_{pi(k)}$. Must $G$ be abelian?



      This question is motivated by this. I've attempted to use Andrés technique in the linked post again here, but to no avail. I've also attempted to look at classical non-abelian groups like $S_3$ and $GL_n(mathbf{C})$ for counterexamples but also to no avail.



      If this is false, is it possible that there's some conditions on the permutation $pi$ which makes this true? Because, again looking over the linked post, it is clear that some permutations force abelianness.







      abstract-algebra group-theory permutations






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      share|cite|improve this question













      share|cite|improve this question




      share|cite|improve this question








      edited Jan 2 at 23:29







      MathematicsStudent1122

















      asked Jan 2 at 22:44









      MathematicsStudent1122MathematicsStudent1122

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          $begingroup$

          Yes. By induction on $kge 2$; $k=2$ is clear.



          Suppose $kge 3$. If $pi(k)=k$ then it's clear by induction. Otherwise, write $j=pi(k)$. Write the equality with $x_j=x_k$. It yields $x_1dots x_{k-1}=x_{pi(1)}dots x_{pi(k-1)}$; write $rho(i)=pi(i)$ for $1le ile k-1$, $ineqpi^{-1}(k)$, $rho(pi^{-1}(k))=j$ ($rho$ is the 1st return map on ${1,dots,k-1}$); then $x_1dots x_{k-1}=x_{rho(1)}dots x_{rho(k-1)}$ for all $x_1,dots,x_{k-1}$ not 1. Hence, if $rho$ is not the identity, we are done.



          Then we see that $rho$ is the identity if and only if $pi$ is the transposition $tau_{j,k}$. Since the case when $pi(1)=1$ is also clear, it remains to assume that $pi=tau_{1,k}$. So we have $x_1dots x_k=x_kx_2dots x_{k-1}x_1$ for all $x_ineq 1$. If we find $x_2,dots,x_{k-1}$ not 1 whose product is 1, we are done. This is obviously doable if $k$ is even (with $x_{2i+1}=x_{2i}^{-1}$ for $1<2i<k$, the case $|G|=1$ being trivially excluded); this is doable for $k=5$ as soon as $|G|ge 3$ and then for $kge 5$ odd ($|G|=2$ being trivial too). Finally, the remaining case is $k=3$ and the equality $x_1x_2x_3=x_3x_2x_1$, and this case was done in the linked post.






          share|cite|improve this answer









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            $begingroup$

            Yes. By induction on $kge 2$; $k=2$ is clear.



            Suppose $kge 3$. If $pi(k)=k$ then it's clear by induction. Otherwise, write $j=pi(k)$. Write the equality with $x_j=x_k$. It yields $x_1dots x_{k-1}=x_{pi(1)}dots x_{pi(k-1)}$; write $rho(i)=pi(i)$ for $1le ile k-1$, $ineqpi^{-1}(k)$, $rho(pi^{-1}(k))=j$ ($rho$ is the 1st return map on ${1,dots,k-1}$); then $x_1dots x_{k-1}=x_{rho(1)}dots x_{rho(k-1)}$ for all $x_1,dots,x_{k-1}$ not 1. Hence, if $rho$ is not the identity, we are done.



            Then we see that $rho$ is the identity if and only if $pi$ is the transposition $tau_{j,k}$. Since the case when $pi(1)=1$ is also clear, it remains to assume that $pi=tau_{1,k}$. So we have $x_1dots x_k=x_kx_2dots x_{k-1}x_1$ for all $x_ineq 1$. If we find $x_2,dots,x_{k-1}$ not 1 whose product is 1, we are done. This is obviously doable if $k$ is even (with $x_{2i+1}=x_{2i}^{-1}$ for $1<2i<k$, the case $|G|=1$ being trivially excluded); this is doable for $k=5$ as soon as $|G|ge 3$ and then for $kge 5$ odd ($|G|=2$ being trivial too). Finally, the remaining case is $k=3$ and the equality $x_1x_2x_3=x_3x_2x_1$, and this case was done in the linked post.






            share|cite|improve this answer









            $endgroup$


















              2












              $begingroup$

              Yes. By induction on $kge 2$; $k=2$ is clear.



              Suppose $kge 3$. If $pi(k)=k$ then it's clear by induction. Otherwise, write $j=pi(k)$. Write the equality with $x_j=x_k$. It yields $x_1dots x_{k-1}=x_{pi(1)}dots x_{pi(k-1)}$; write $rho(i)=pi(i)$ for $1le ile k-1$, $ineqpi^{-1}(k)$, $rho(pi^{-1}(k))=j$ ($rho$ is the 1st return map on ${1,dots,k-1}$); then $x_1dots x_{k-1}=x_{rho(1)}dots x_{rho(k-1)}$ for all $x_1,dots,x_{k-1}$ not 1. Hence, if $rho$ is not the identity, we are done.



              Then we see that $rho$ is the identity if and only if $pi$ is the transposition $tau_{j,k}$. Since the case when $pi(1)=1$ is also clear, it remains to assume that $pi=tau_{1,k}$. So we have $x_1dots x_k=x_kx_2dots x_{k-1}x_1$ for all $x_ineq 1$. If we find $x_2,dots,x_{k-1}$ not 1 whose product is 1, we are done. This is obviously doable if $k$ is even (with $x_{2i+1}=x_{2i}^{-1}$ for $1<2i<k$, the case $|G|=1$ being trivially excluded); this is doable for $k=5$ as soon as $|G|ge 3$ and then for $kge 5$ odd ($|G|=2$ being trivial too). Finally, the remaining case is $k=3$ and the equality $x_1x_2x_3=x_3x_2x_1$, and this case was done in the linked post.






              share|cite|improve this answer









              $endgroup$
















                2












                2








                2





                $begingroup$

                Yes. By induction on $kge 2$; $k=2$ is clear.



                Suppose $kge 3$. If $pi(k)=k$ then it's clear by induction. Otherwise, write $j=pi(k)$. Write the equality with $x_j=x_k$. It yields $x_1dots x_{k-1}=x_{pi(1)}dots x_{pi(k-1)}$; write $rho(i)=pi(i)$ for $1le ile k-1$, $ineqpi^{-1}(k)$, $rho(pi^{-1}(k))=j$ ($rho$ is the 1st return map on ${1,dots,k-1}$); then $x_1dots x_{k-1}=x_{rho(1)}dots x_{rho(k-1)}$ for all $x_1,dots,x_{k-1}$ not 1. Hence, if $rho$ is not the identity, we are done.



                Then we see that $rho$ is the identity if and only if $pi$ is the transposition $tau_{j,k}$. Since the case when $pi(1)=1$ is also clear, it remains to assume that $pi=tau_{1,k}$. So we have $x_1dots x_k=x_kx_2dots x_{k-1}x_1$ for all $x_ineq 1$. If we find $x_2,dots,x_{k-1}$ not 1 whose product is 1, we are done. This is obviously doable if $k$ is even (with $x_{2i+1}=x_{2i}^{-1}$ for $1<2i<k$, the case $|G|=1$ being trivially excluded); this is doable for $k=5$ as soon as $|G|ge 3$ and then for $kge 5$ odd ($|G|=2$ being trivial too). Finally, the remaining case is $k=3$ and the equality $x_1x_2x_3=x_3x_2x_1$, and this case was done in the linked post.






                share|cite|improve this answer









                $endgroup$



                Yes. By induction on $kge 2$; $k=2$ is clear.



                Suppose $kge 3$. If $pi(k)=k$ then it's clear by induction. Otherwise, write $j=pi(k)$. Write the equality with $x_j=x_k$. It yields $x_1dots x_{k-1}=x_{pi(1)}dots x_{pi(k-1)}$; write $rho(i)=pi(i)$ for $1le ile k-1$, $ineqpi^{-1}(k)$, $rho(pi^{-1}(k))=j$ ($rho$ is the 1st return map on ${1,dots,k-1}$); then $x_1dots x_{k-1}=x_{rho(1)}dots x_{rho(k-1)}$ for all $x_1,dots,x_{k-1}$ not 1. Hence, if $rho$ is not the identity, we are done.



                Then we see that $rho$ is the identity if and only if $pi$ is the transposition $tau_{j,k}$. Since the case when $pi(1)=1$ is also clear, it remains to assume that $pi=tau_{1,k}$. So we have $x_1dots x_k=x_kx_2dots x_{k-1}x_1$ for all $x_ineq 1$. If we find $x_2,dots,x_{k-1}$ not 1 whose product is 1, we are done. This is obviously doable if $k$ is even (with $x_{2i+1}=x_{2i}^{-1}$ for $1<2i<k$, the case $|G|=1$ being trivially excluded); this is doable for $k=5$ as soon as $|G|ge 3$ and then for $kge 5$ odd ($|G|=2$ being trivial too). Finally, the remaining case is $k=3$ and the equality $x_1x_2x_3=x_3x_2x_1$, and this case was done in the linked post.







                share|cite|improve this answer












                share|cite|improve this answer



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                answered Jan 2 at 23:32









                YCorYCor

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