Fuzzy Sets and Systems 51 (1992) 105-109

North-Holland

105

Structure and construction of fuzzy

subgroups of a group
L iszl6 Filep
Department of Mathematics, Bessenyei College, Nylregyhtlza,
Hungary

In [1] the following important theorem was

proved:
T h e o r e m 1. Let G be a group. A /* F ( G ) is a

Received September 1989

Revised January 1991

fuzzy subgroup of G iff its each re-cut /*~ is a

subgroup of G.

Abstract: We define the order of a fuzzy set and give

conditions for different order fuzzy sets to be fuzzy
subgroups through their level subgroups. Finally, we give a
list of fuzzy subgroups of order 1-6.

Keywords: Group; fuzzy subgroup; level subgroup; order of

a fuzzy set; proper fuzzy group.

Note. Theorem

1
subgroupoids of G.

1. Introduction

We recall some definitions and results that will

be used later.
If S is a set, then a mapping /*:S--~ [0, 1] is
called a fuzzy subset of S, or shortly a fuzzy set
[3]. The values /*(x)[0, 1] are called the
membership values of /,. The set of all fuzzy
subsets of S will be denoted by F(S). By an
0:-cut/*~ of/* F(S) we mean the following crisp
subset of S:
/*, = {x S,/*(x)/> re, 0: [0, 1]}.
Clearly 0:1 ~< 0:2 implies/*(0:1) -~/*(0:2).
If (G, -) is a groupoid (specially, a group) then
a/* F ( G ) is said to be a fuzzy subgroupoid of
G, or shortly a fuzzy groupoid, if
/*(x. y) ~ min(/*(x),/*(y)),

Vx, y G.

(1)

If G is a group and

/*(x -1)

The/*o,'s are called level subgroups, which can

be empty and form a chain in the subgroup
lattice (L, c__) of G. By Hausdorff's axiom (or
Zorn's lemma) there is maximal chain C in L.
We will index the members of a subgroup chain
by natural numbers.

Vx G

(2)

remains

valid

for

fuzzy

2. Conditions for a fuzzy set to be a fuzzy

group

Definition 1. The order of the set of membership values of a fuzzy set/* is called the order of
/* and is denoted by I/*1.

IGI ~>2. A
/* F ( G ) of order 2 is a fuzzy group, if it is of
the following form:

T h e o r e m 2. Let G be a group and

/*(x) = { 0:1 i f x = e ,
0:2 if xq=e,

(3)

for any x G and 0 <~ 0:2 < 0:1 <~1.

Proof. Let x, y G (y 4:x-1). It is known that if
neither x nor y equals e, then xy 4=e, otherwise
xy = e. Then

also holds, then /* is called a fuzzy subgroup of

the group G, or shortly a fuzzy group [2].

/*(x- y) = 0:2/> min(/*(x),/*(y)),

Correspondence to: Dr. L. Filep, Department of Mathematics, Bessenyei College, Pf. 166, H-4401 Nyiregyhfiza,
Hungary.

/*(xy) = 0:1/> min(/*(x),/*(y)).

and also,

Next, since x:/:e

0165-0114/92/$05.00 1992--Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. All rights reserved

implies that x-lq=e,

and

106

L. Filep / Fuzzy subgroups of a group

clearly, x = e implies

X - 1 -~-

e, therefore,

# ( x - l ) = cr2~> #(x)

ifx:ke,

Definition 2. The fuzzy groups of order 1 and

order 2 with form (3) are called trivial fuzzy
groups, the others proper fuzzy groups.

while
# ( x - l ) = Crl ~> (x)

T h e o r e m 4. A group G with no proper subgroups cannot have proper f u z z y subgroups.

ifx =e.

Finally, if y = x -1, then x y = e, and hence

# ( x y ) = or1/> m i n ( # ( x ) , / t ( y ) ) ,

and also
/~(x-1) = 0<2~> #(x)

ifx=/:e,

while
#(x -1) = trl >/#(x)

if x = e.

Thus # is a fuzzy group.

T h e o r e m 3. Let G be a (finite) cyclic group o f
prime order with IGI ~ 2. Then a f u z z y group
# F ( G ) with I~1 -- 2 must be o f the f o r m (3).

Proof. If G = 2, say G = {e, x}, then

#(e) = # ( x x ) >1 min(#(x), #(x)) = #(x)

together with
statement.

x-1 = x,

e-I

proves

the

Let IG] > 2 , and suppose that a fuzzy group

# F ( G ) of order 2 is not of the given form.
This can happen in two cases:
Case 1. # ( e ) = c r z and # ( x ) = t r l (0~<a<2<
aq ~< 1) for some x G. Since # is a fuzzy group,
it follows by (2), aq = #(x)~< # ( x - l ) . But from
this

Proof. Suppose first that a fuzzy subgroup of

order 2 is not trivial, i.e. it has the form given in
either Case 1 or Case 2 in the proof of T h e o r e m
3. In Case 1 consider the a<-cut/z~,.. It must be a
subgroup by T h e o r e m 1, but e $ #~, because of
o~2< trl, which contradicts t h a t / ~ , is a subgroup.
In Case 2 the it-cut #~1 is a subgroup of G by
T h e o r e m 1, and it is proper by having at least
two elements, e and x. This contradicts our
assumption.

Now let # F ( G ) be a fuzzy group with

1#1/>3, and of course with [G[/>3. Then there
must exist three different elements x, y, z with
different membership values, say
#(x) = c~1 > # ( y ) = o<2> # ( z )

(~'3"

The a<-cuts #o<1, #0,2, #~3 are different subgroups

of G by T h e o r e m 1 with # , , c # ~ 2 c # ~ 3 . At
least one of them is proper subgroup of G. This
completes the proof.
L e m m a 1. Let Gi, Gi+l be consecutive elements
o f a maximal subgroup chain C o f a group G
with Gi c Gi+l. Then x Gi+l - Gi implies x - j

G,+I-G~.
t~2 = #(e) = # ( x x -1) < min(#(x),

(X-1))

follows, which contradicts (1).

Case 2. #(e) = o/1 and /.t(X) = t l ' l f l ( y
(0~<Cra<trl~<l) for some x , y G - { e } .
show that then the set H ~_ G defined by

~/1

) = O<2

We

H = {z G I # ( z ) = #(e)}
is a proper subgroup of G , which contradicts
our assumption. Indeed, e H by definition.
Further, from x H there follows x-~ H by (2).
If x, z H , then we get
#(e) >>-# ( x z ) >t min(#(x), # ( z ) ) -- #(e),

from which tt(xz) = #(e), that is x z H follows.

Thus H is a subgroup, and because of y $ H , it is
proper. With this our proof is complete.

Proof. Let x be an arbitrary element of

G i + l - Gi. Then clearly x - l c Gi+l, a s Gi+l is a
subgroup of the group G. But x - 1 $ Gi, since
x-1 Gi would similarly imply x Gi, which
contradicts x Gi+l - Gi. Thus x -1 G~+I - Gi
remains the only possibility.
T h e o r e m 5. Let G be a group and /z F ( G ) a
f u z z y group. Then a maximal subgroup chain
C = (Gi l i I ~ N } o f G fulfils:

(i) ~,(y) = or,, Vy c

(ii) # ( x ) t> # ( y ) ,
Gg, Vi I - {0}.

G , + i - G , , o<,

Vx G~ - - 1 ,

[0, 1];
Vy c Gi+~ -

Proof. Consider a maximal subgroup chain C of

G containing all different or-cuts /z, of #. Such

L. Filep / F u z z y #ubgroups o f a g r o u p

chain always exists, since every chain can be

extended to a maximal one.
(i) If IG~+l-G~l = 1 for some i, theh the
statement is trivial. If IGg+l-G~l~>2, then
suppose/u(y 0 4= I~(Yz), say
/z(Y0 = tel ) /~(Y~) = te~
for some y~, Y2 e G~+~ - Gi. Take the te-cuts g~,
and / ~ . By T h e o r e m 1, they form different
non-empty level subgroups of G with G~ c/uo,, c
/z~ ~ G,+1, which contradicts the maximality of
the given chain.
(ii) By (i), /~(y) =tei for all y e Gi+l -- G~, and
~t(x) = tei-1 for all x ~ Gi - G~_~ with 0 ~< tei-~,
te~ ~< 1. Suppose that teg_~< tei. Then for the
corresponding level subgroups (existing by
Theorem 1) we get

107

is a partition of G. The statement is trivial for

x = e. Any x e G - {e} belongs to exactly one
class G / + I - G~, and consequently by L e m m a 1
x -1 also belongs to G~+I-Gi. But x , x - l e
G i + l - G ~ implies ~[~(X)=~(X-1) for all x e G
(x 4: e), that is our assertion is true.

Proposition 2. I f G is a group and I~ F ( G ) ,

then f is a f u z z y subgroupoid implies that ~t is a
f u z z y group.
Theorem 6. Let i~,e F ( G ) for a group G, and let
{a, I i e J ~_N} be a maximal subgroup chain o f
G with "Go = {e}. Then It is a f u z z y group if it is
o f the following form:
g(e) = leo, I~(x,) = tel . . . . , ~(Xn)

ten ....

where
~oci C [~c~i ,,

Gi+ l : ~,,

from which G,+~cGi

contradiction.

G i - 1 = [~. . . .

follows,

which

1 ~> te0>~ te~ ~>-.. >~ te, ~

> - - .>~0.
is

Proof. Let x, y be arbitrary elements of G. We

Corollary 1. I f g is a group, Iz e F ( G ) is a

have three cases:

Case 1. x = e a n d / o r y 4= e. Then

fuzzy group, and {Gi l i e J ~_ N} is a maximal

subgroup-chain, then

I~(Y) = Iz(xy) >i min(/u(x),/~(y)) =/~(y).

G~ c G~ implies It(x) >~l~(Y) = te~-,

for all y ~ Gk - Gk-~, x ~ Gj.

Proposition 1 (Proposition 5.4 in [2]). I f G /s a

group and I~ E F ( G ) is a f u z z y group, then
(i) #(e) ~>/~(x), Vx 6 G;
(ii) ~(x-') =/~(x), Vx ~ G.
Proof. (i) Consider a suitable maximal subgroup
chain { G i l i ~ J < ~ N } of G with G o = { e } . By
Theorem 5 it suffices to show that /u(e)I>/~(x)
for all x c G 1 - G 0 .
By L e m m a 1, x ~ G 1 - G 0
implies x-1 ~ G1 - Go, from which it follows that
/~(x -1) =/~(x) = te0 by T h e o r e m 5(i). Since /u is
a fuzzy group

It(e) = Iz(xx-')
/> min(u(x), it(x-'))
= leo . = U ( x ) ,

which was to be proved.

(ii) Take a suitable maximal subgroup chain
with endpoints Go = {e} and G. Clearly
Go, G, - Go . . . . .

G~+, - G, . . . .

Hence (1) holds.

Case 2. x, y e G i + l - G i
for some i e J . By
Theorem 5, ~ ( x ) = / ~ ( y ) = te~. Since Gi+l is a
subgroup, s o xy ~ Gi+], namely either xy e
G ~ + I - G i with I~(xy)=te~, or x y e G ~ with
l~(xy) >! tei by Corollary 1. In the first case
te~ = I~(xy) >- min(/~(x),/~(y)) = te~,
and in the second case
I~(xy) i> tee -- min(/~(x),/~(y)).
Case 3. x c G i + l - G i ,
and y e G k + l - - G k for
some i 4: k, say i > k, By T h e o r e m 5 this means
that
te, =/~(x) > / # ( y ) = tek.
Since Gk+x c Gi, it follows that y e Gk+l - G~
implies y c Gi. Thus xy e Gi, too, G~ being a
subgroup. This means by Corollary 1 that
l~(xy ) >i te,.
Consequently,
l~(xy) >i tei >>-min(/~(x),/z(y)) = tekThis completes the proof of the fulfilment of (1)

108

L. Filep / Fuzzy subgroups of a group

for #. Since G is a group this proves at the

same time that/~ is a fuzzy group, too, by Proposition 2.
Corollary 2. I f in a group G the length of the
longest maximal chain with endpoints {e} and G
is n, the order of any f u z z y subgroup of G cannot
be greater than n + 1.

3. Construction of fuzzy subgroups of groups

of order 1 - 6

Groups of orders 1, 2, 3, 5 have only trivial

subgroups and fuzzy subgroups, i.e. fuzzy
subgroups of order 1 and 2 by Theorem 4. Since
fuzzy sets of the same order form an equivalence
class we do not distinguish them here.

#(ab) = ol2, #(a) = It(b) = o:3,

with a~/> ~'2 ~ ~3"

Groups of order 6. There are also two of them:

the cyclic group C 6 and the symmetric group $3.
The lattices of their subgroups are
C6

where
C 6:

{e, a, a z, a 3, a 4, a5},

C 3 = {e, a 2, a4},
and

Groups of order 4. There are two kinds of

them: the cyclic group C4 and the Klein group
K4. Their subgroup lattices are

A3

~4

where

Cz

C 2 = {e, a 3}

//1

HE

$3 = {(1), (12), (13), (23), (132), (123)},

{e}

A3 = {(1), (132), (123)},

where

/41 = {(1), (12)},

C4 = {e, a, a 2, a3},

C2 = {e, a 2}

K~

K~

Similarly to the previous case we can conclude

that both C6 and $3 have fuzzy subgroups of
order 3,2, 1. The reader can construct them
from the maximal chains as before.

~'

where

K4 = {e, a, b, ab },
K2' = {e,a},

K 2"-{e,
-

b},

K E" -- { e , ab}.

(74 and Ka both have fuzzy subgroups of order

3, 2, 1 by the following construction:
For C4:
#(e) = or,,

#(a 2) = re2, . ( a ) =/.t(a 3)

For K4:
=

H E = {(1), (13)},

H3 = {(1), (23)}.

and

#(e)

H4

t~' 3 .

The above results disprove Corollary 4.2 of

[1]: "If G is a cyclic p-group of order pr, then
the necessary and sufficient condition for a fuzzy
subset A of G to be a fuzzy subgroup is that for
all elements x such that O ( X ) = p i we have
A(x)=ti, i=0,1,2,...,r,
and t o > t l > ' - - >
tr."

The necessity is not true here. Consider e.g.

the cyclic group of order 22:
C4 = {e, a, a 2, a3}.
Here O(e) = 2, O(a z) = 21, O(a) = O ( a 3) = 2 2.
If we take

~'1,

#(a) = 0:2, Iz(b) = #(ab) = re3,

A ( e ) = to,

#(b) = tr2,

with to > tl, then the fuzzy set A does not satisfy

#(a) = #(ab) = o{3,

A ( a 2) = A ( a ) = A(a 3) = tl

L. Filep / Fuzzy subgroups of a group

the given condition, nevertheless it is a fuzzy

subgroup of G.

Acknowledgement
The author wishes to thank one of the
referees for valuable remarks.

109

References
[1] P.S. Das, Fuzzy groups and level subgroups, J. Math.
Anal. Appl. 84 (1981) 264-269.
[2] A. Rosenfeld, Fuzzy groups, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 36
(1971) 512-517.
[3] L.A. Zadeh, Fuzzy sets, Inform. and Control 8 (1965)
338-353.