If $P$ or $Q$ is normal then both $P$ and $Q$ are characteristic in $PQ$

group-theorynormal-subgroupssylow-theory

Abstract Algebra, Dummit and Foote e3 states that:

"If $G$ is a group of order 30 and $P\in Syl_5(G)$ and $Q\in Syl_3(G)$ with one of them being normal, then both are characteristic subgroups of $PQ$; this then implies that since $PQ$ is normal, both $P$ and $Q$ have to be normal."

Why is it that if either $P$ or $Q$ is normal in $G$ then both are characteristic in $PQ$? I realize that, by Sylow theorem, the normal Sylow subgroup has to be characteristic, but I do not get why the other one has to be also.

Best Answer

First note that since $P$ or $Q$ is normal, $PQ \leq G$. We have $|P|$ and $|Q|$ are coprime, so they must have trivial intersection. Thus $|PQ| = \frac{|P||Q|}{|P \cap Q|} = \frac{15}{1}$. Thus $PQ$ is normal in $G$ since it has index $2$. If $Q$ is normal in $G$ then $P$ has index $3$ in $PQ$. Since $3$ is the smallest prime dividing $|PQ|$, $P$ is necessarily normal in $PQ$ and thus characteristic. If $P$ is normal in $G$ then consider the number of possible subgroups of order $3$ in $PQ$. We know from the Sylow Theorems that it must be congruent to 1 modulo three. Further it must divide 5. The only divisor of $5$ congruent to 1 modulo 3 is 1. Thus there is one Sylow 3 subgroup of $PQ$, namely $Q$.