[Math] Every group of order $p^5$ is metabelian

finite-groupsgroup-theory

How to show that for $p$ prime, every group of order $p^5$ is metabelian? A group is metabelian if and only if its commutator subgroup $G'$ is abelian.

If $G$ is a group of order $p^5$, then $G$ has a normal subgroup $N$ of order $p^3$ (in $p$-groups, there is a normal subgroup of every possible order). Then $G/N$ is abelian and thus $G' \leq N$. Therefore the commutator subgroup has order $1$, $p$, $p^2$ or $p^3$. The only case where $G'$ could be nonabelian is when it has order $p^3$. This actually happens when $G = D_{32}$, the dihedral group of order $32$, so proving that $|G'| = p^3$ is impossible is not the way to go.

Any ideas where to go from here?

Best Answer

If $G'$ has order less than $p^3$, then it is abelian. So we may assume that $G'$ has order exactly $p^3$, in which case $G/G'$ is of order $p^2$, and thus $2$-generated. let $x$ and $y$ be the two generators. Moreover, $G_3=[G,G']$ has order at most $p^2$, $G_4$ has order at most $p$, and so $G_5$ will certainly be trivial; that is, $G$ has class at most $4$.

Since $G$ is a finite $p$-group, $G'$ is generated by the basic commutators in $x$ and $y$. We know that $G_n/G_{n+1}$ is generated by the basic commutators of weight $n$. So $G_2/G_3$ is cyclic, generated by $[y,x]$; $G_3/G_4$ is generated by $[y,x,x]$ and $[y,x,y]$. And $G_4/G_5 = G_4$ is generated by the basic commutators of weight $4$; but the only basic commutators of weight $4$ that are nontrivial are $[y,x,x,x]$, $[y,x,x,y]$, and $[y,x,y,y]$, since there is no nontrivial basic commutator obtained as $[c,c']$ with $c$ and $c'$ of weight $2$.

Thus, $G'$ is generated by $[y,x]$, $[y,x,x]$, $[y,x,y]$, $[y,x,x,x]$, $[y,x,x,y]$, and $[y,x,y,y]$. Since $G'$ is of class at most $4$, they commute pairwise (the only commutator not of weight greater than $4$ is $[[y,x],[y,x]]$, which is trivial).

Related Question