[Math] When is the centralizer of a subgroup equal to the center

finite-groupsgroup-theory

Let $G$ be a group, and $H\leq G$ be a subgroup. When is $C_G (H)=Z(G)$?

Similar to this question, which is about the centralizer of an element rather than of a subgroup: When is the centralizer and the center are equal

Best Answer

I do not think there is a general condition. What you can say is this.

(a) $Z(G)=C_G(H)$ if and only if $Z(H)=H \cap Z(G)$.

(b) Note that $Z(G)=\bigcap_{g \in G}C_G(g)$. And $g \notin Z(G)$ if and only if $Z(G) \subsetneq C_G(g) \subsetneq G$. Otherwise put, if $C_G(g)=Z(G)$, then, since $g \in C_G(g)$, we get $g \in Z(G)$, whence $C_G(g)=G$, so $G=Z(G)$, which means $G$ is abelian. And if $G$ is abelian, then of course $C_G(g)=G=Z(G)$.