Group G6 T4 m( [1 |# \# cA group is defined as a finite or infinite set of Operands : |0 b. e( q9 `" |. y' _* s( P4 D" a (called ``elements'') , , , ... that may be combined or ``multiplied'' via a Binary Operator 2 Q a7 Z5 {* \/ {: o to form well-defined products and which furthermore satisfy the following conditions: 9 o# n/ V* O, X* s p
1. Closure: If and are two elements in , then the product is also in . ; H" k) X) M1 Z, T3 K. Z2. Associativity: The defined multiplication is associative, i.e., for all , . % d2 n4 w9 N# _" ?" p9 p
3. Identity: There is an Identity Element9 e8 p: K$ j8 t
(a.k.a. , , or ) such that for every element . 7 N N3 ?$ D2 C( Z. o
4. Inverse: There must be an inverse or reciprocal of each element. Therefore, the set must contain an element such that for each element of . ! Z t" v, s1 M m" ^: g9 Z* `A group is therefore a Monoid 9 c* O: o4 ~3 D% {& Q for which every element is invertible. A group must contain at least one element. 3 Z ?6 K. n, n0 A 9 V$ D% u: e; l2 |The study of groups is known as Group Theory l* }2 e7 N. r( @3 N) Y c. If there are a finite number of elements, the group is called a Finite Group 1 R+ Z( q+ g+ j7 [3 A' W, q and the number of elements is called the Order6 Q; s# ]5 U0 ^
of the group. 4 A4 t7 g. x) q3 o
+ }% _/ s7 V/ f0 F# s3 a
Since each element , , , ..., , and is a member of the group, group property 1 requires that the product 9 Q9 L, c; {7 d' i
) x+ A! V! C& }
(1)3 Z- Z, k6 a" M/ z6 h5 ]
0 X" q+ s: b5 ^8 H7 {& H+ Y
4 v% T4 n A2 H' B: O
, [9 ~& w& j! h" y: n9 Y! Qmust also be a member. Now apply to , , S8 b+ ^8 d! U1 ?/ ]