[Math] Studying the symmetry group of the dodecahedron by introducing axes.

abstract-algebragroup-theory

For my bachelor project I'm studying the symmetry of the Platonic solids (as a start at least). I computed the symmetry group of the tetrahedron by labeling the vertices, and the cube by labeling the four diagonals through its center. For the dodecahedron and icosahedron by advisor suggested a labeling system based on its edges since the solids are duals and essentially have the "same" edges, only perpendicular to eachother in a sense.

I started doing some computations with the aid of a 12 sided die to help me visualise the dodecahedron, but I came upon a weird result. The reflections seemed to be even permutations of the 5 axes, but I was under the impression that the symmetry group of both the dodecahedron and icosahedron was $A_5$ which the rotations alone produced. Now it seems that the reflections are also even, giving me additional even permutations.

Again, my advisor told me to give the axes direction so that I would get a subgroup of $S_10$ resulting from giving each of the 5 systems of axes a direction. Even so, I can't really see how this changes the permutations given by reflections. Reflecting the dodecahedron through a plane in one of those 5 systems of axes, the only change of direction in that particular system is the remaining axes not reflected through. I'm unable to see how this gives an odd permutation.

Sorry for the wall of text, I'm just really confused. Is there another way of connecting the dodecahedron to $S_5$ rather than using axes?

Best Answer

An alternative approach (and one that shows the full symmetry group is not $S_5$) is to argue as is done here and in the exercises linked on that page. Part of the slickness of that argument is that they observe you can embed five cubes and (separately) five tetrahedra in the dodecahedron in such a way that the former get permuted by rotational symmetries of the latter!

Related Question