Exercise · ZW-KERNEL-OF-A-HOMOMORPHISM-010 · ★★★ Advanced
For a homomorphism \(\varphi\colon G\to H\), which statement about \(\ker\varphi\) is true?
Choose one option.
Show answer
- D. It is a subgroup of \(G\)
Explanation
It contains \(e_G\); if \(\varphi(a)=\varphi(b)=e_H\) then \(\varphi(ab^{-1})=e_H\). It is a subgroup of \(G\), the domain; it does not live in \(H\).
Review the concept: Kernel of a homomorphism
The kernel of a group homomorphism \(\varphi\colon G\to H\) is the set of elements of \(G\) that \(\varphi\) sends to the identity \(e_H\) of \(H\).
\[\ker\varphi=\{g\in G:\ \varphi(g)=e_H\}\]
More practice problems: kernel of a homomorphism
- ZW-KERNEL-OF-A-HOMOMORPHISM-001 Let φcolonℤ_12→ℤ_4 be given by φ(x)=x bmod 4. What is the kernel of φ?
- ZW-KERNEL-OF-A-HOMOMORPHISM-002 Let φcolon(ℝ,+)→(ℝ_>0,·) with φ(x)=e^x. What is its kernel?
- ZW-KERNEL-OF-A-HOMOMORPHISM-003 Which element belongs to the kernel of every homomorphism φcolon G→ H?
- ZW-KERNEL-OF-A-HOMOMORPHISM-004 Let φcolonℤ_18→ℤ_6 with φ(x)=4x bmod 6. How many elements does its kernel have?
- ZW-KERNEL-OF-A-HOMOMORPHISM-005 Let φcolon(ℤ_7^*,·)→(ℤ_7^*,·) with φ(x)=x^2. What is its kernel?
- ZW-KERNEL-OF-A-HOMOMORPHISM-006 A homomorphism φcolon G→ H is injective. What can be stated for sure?
- ZW-KERNEL-OF-A-HOMOMORPHISM-007 Let φcolonℤ_8→ℤ_8 with φ(x)=6x bmod 8. How many distinct elements does its image have?
- ZW-KERNEL-OF-A-HOMOMORPHISM-008 How many homomorphisms φcolonℤ_12→ℤ_18 have a kernel with exactly 2 elements?