Let $f,g\in{\rm Aut}(G)$. Show $f\circ g$ and $f^{-1}$ are also automorphisms

abstract-algebraautomorphism-groupgroup-theory

Let $G$ be a group and let ${\rm Aut}(G)$ be the set of all automorphisms of $G$.

  1. Let $f,g\in{\rm Aut}(G)$. Show that $f\circ g$ is also an automorphism of $G$.
  2. Let $f\in{\rm Aut}(G)$. Show that $f^{−1}$ is also an automorphism of $G$.

For #1 we N.T.S that $f \circ g$ is a bijection and a homomorphism.

First we will show onto. Let $f \circ g: A \to C$ with $g(A)=B$ and $f(B)=C$. $f\circ g(A)=f(g(A))=f(B)=C$ so $f\circ g$ is onto.

Now we will show 1-1. Let $a,b$ exist in $f \circ g$. $f \circ g(a)=f \circ g(b)$ which means $f(g(a))=f(g(b))$ which means $g(a)=g(b)$ which shows $a=b$. So this is 1-1.

Now we will need to show $f \circ g$ is a homorphism. $f \circ g(ab)=f(g(ab))=f(g(a)g(b))=f(g(a))f(g(b))=f \circ g(a)f \circ g(b)$ for all $a,b$ in $G$. So $f \circ g$ forms a homomorphism.

For #2 can we use the facts that we proved in #1 that since $f$ is a homomorphism and $f$ is a bijection then $f^{-1}$ must be as well? Is there anything else I have to prove besides homomorphisms and bijections for these two?

Best Answer

To show $f^{-1}$ is an automorphism, note that, indeed, since $f$ is a bijection, its inverse is one too. (Why?)

What's left is showing that $f^{-1}:B\to A$ is an homomorphism. Let $b, b'\in B$. Then

$$\begin{align} f(f^{-1}(b)f^{-1}(b'))&=f(f^{-1}(b))f(f^{-1}(b'))\\ &=bb'. \end{align}$$

Now apply $f^{-1}$.

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