[Math] What does “order” mean in group theory

abstract-algebragroup-theory

For example, if I have the question:

"Find the primary decomposition of the abelian group

$$
\mathrm{Aut}(C_{6125}).
$$

Compute the number of elements of order 35 in this group."

I know how to answer this question, but I don't understand what I'm looking for. What exactly does order mean?

Best Answer

Definition: Let $G$ be a group and let $g\in G$. Then the order of $g$ is the smallest natural number $n$ such that $g^n = e$ (the identity element in the group). (Note that this $n$ might not exist).

So in your group, you are looking for all the elements $g$ that satisfy that

  • $g^{35} = e$
  • $g^m \neq e$ for all $m<35$.

As mention in the comments below this answer, also beware that there is another notion of order in group theory. If $G$ is a finite group, then the number of elements in the group is called the order of the group. (If a group has infinitely many elements, then the group is sometimes said to have infinite order).