[Math] How many sylow-p subgroups are there of A5

sylow-theory

Calculate the number of Sylow p-subgroups of $A_5$

We have $|G|=60=2^2⋅3⋅5$

Let $n_p$ be the number of Sylow p-subgroups of G.

By Sylow's third theorem, we have $n_3∈{1,4,10}$. But G contains 20 elements of order 3, each of which generates a Sylow 3-subgroup.

I have just been looking at this online and I understand why $n_3$ has to be 1, 4 or 10, however why does G contain 20 elements of order 3?

Best Answer

Sylow's third theorem says that if $|G|=p^na$ where $p$ and $a$ are coprime and $p$ is prime, then the number of Sylow $p$-subgroups (those are subgroups of order $p^n$) denoted by $n_p$ satisfy $n_p\equiv1(\textrm{mod} \hspace{3pt}p)$ and $n_p$ divides $a$. So in your case, $n_3$ divides $20$ and $n_3\equiv 1(\textrm{mod} \hspace{3pt}3)$

We have $20$ elements of order $3$ and not $20$ subgroups of order $3$. Since each Sylow 3-subgroup will have two non-identity elements we have $\displaystyle\frac{20}{2}=10$ Sylow-3 subgroups in $A_5$.

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