$AB\leq N_G(B)$ implies $B\trianglelefteq AB$

abstract-algebragroup-theoryproof-explanation

I am reading the proof of the Second Isomorphism Theorem on Dummit and Foote's Abstract Algebra, 3rd edition.

Could anyone tell why they mention $AB\leq N_G(B)$ on the highlighted part? Does $AB\leq N_G(B)$ imply $B\trianglelefteq AB$?

If you just wanted to show $B\trianglelefteq AB$, then you could say for any $ab\in AB$,

$$abB(ab)^{-1}=abBb^{-1}a^{-1}=aBa^{-1}=B,$$

where the last equality follows from the assumption $A\leq N_G(B)$.

So I am wondering what they mean by $AB\leq N_G(B)$, i.e., $B$ is normal subgroup of the subgroup $AB$.

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Best Answer

If $K\le H \le N_G(K),$ then $K\lhd H$.

Proof.

Let $h\in H$. Then $h\in N_G(K)$. Hence $h^{-1}Kh=K$. So $K\lhd H$.

So in your case, $B\le AB\le N_G(B)$, hence $B\lhd AB$.
Your way to show that $B\lhd AB$ is also correct. Just that the author applied the tool of normalizer to get the result faster.

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