[Math] Prove that every subgroup of an infinite cyclic group is characteristic

abstract-algebra

Prove that every subgroup of an infinite cyclic group is characteristic.

I know that every infinite cyclic group is isomorphic to $\Bbb Z$, and any automorphism on $\Bbb Z$ is of the form $\alpha(n) = n$ or $\alpha(n) = -n$. That means that if $f$ is an isomorphism from $\Bbb Z$ to some other group $G$, the isomorphism is determined by $f(1)$. But from here I can't figure out how to show that it's characteristic.

Best Answer

For each $n \in \mathbb N^*$, there is exactly one subgroup of $\mathbb Z$ of index $n$, namely $n\mathbb Z$. Therefore, it must be fixed by every automorphism.

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