Reference: What’s this group of order $42$, and what’s the reasoning behind the name $F_7$ I found

abstract-algebrafinite-groupsgroup-theorynotationreference-request

This page on the sub-wiki Groupprops lists a group of order $42$ named $F_7$.

There are $6$ groups of order $42$, namely the abelian group $\mathbb{Z}_{42}$, and the non-abelian groups $D_{21}$, $S_3 \times \mathbb{Z}_7$, $\mathbb{Z}_2 \times (\mathbb{Z}_7 \rtimes \mathbb{Z}_3)$, $D_7×\mathbb{Z}_3$, $F_7$

This link lists of small groups lists this group as a semi-direct product $(C_7 \rtimes C_3) \rtimes C_2$. It's GAP ID is SmallGroup($42$, $1$).

This page on Groupprops is about SmallGroup($42$, $1$), saying it the general affine group $GA(1,7)$.

I can't find any reference calling it $F_7$ other than the page on Groupprops. Why is it called that? What is the definition of the group $F_n$ for general $n$ (assuming this is defined for other $n$.)

Best Answer

Frobenius groups are transitive permutation groups acting on a finite set where no nontrivial element fixes more than one point.

This is one convention of notation taken to denote some Frobenius groups, which are specifically groups of affine linear transformations of $\mathbb{F}_q$, where q is a prime power.

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