[Math] Showing one to one correspondence

abstract-algebrafunctionsgroup-theory

Show that there is a one to one correspondence between the set of left cosets of $H$ in $G$ and the set of right cosets of $H$ in $G$.

What is the basic technique/principle for showing one to one correspondence?

Best Answer

As noted above, you must find a bijection $f$ between $G/H$ (the set of left cosets) and $H\backslash G$ (the set of right cosets).

The standard bijection is such that $f(gH) = Hg^{-1}$. The first step is to show that such a mapping indeed exists, that is that whenever $gH = g'H$ then $Hg^{-1} = Hg'^{-1}$. Thus you can define $f(X)$ as $Hg^{-1}$ for any $g \in X$ without the result depending on the choice of such a $g$.

This step is essential. Note that in it lies the reason for not defining $f$ simply by $f(gH) = Hg$; if $gH = g'H$, it is not generally the case that $Hg = Hg'$.

Then you must show that $f$ is onto and that it is one to one.

Related Question