Relating the indices of H; K; and \ H K

Lord Moldyvort
14 May 2011

Abstract
Proof of a formula relating the indices of H; K and H \K : [jG=H j; jG=K j] 
j \ K j  jG=H jjG=K j. The proof uses the \diamond theorem":
G=H

jG=K j  jH K=K j = jH=H \ K j. A formula for cancelling factors in a

quotient: jG=K j = jG=H jjH=K j:

Notation. Here we use G=H to mean the space of left cosets

of H in G, which doesn't have to be a group; and jG=H j is its
size, i.e. the index of H in G.

Theorem. Let H; K  G s.t. jG=H j = m and jG=K j = n

are both nite. Then jG=H \ K j = k is also nite, and
[m; n]  k  mn:

Proof summary. First we write the two partitions of G by

left cosets of H \ K , one through H and one through K , and
conclude that they are the same partition, with dierent rep-
resenatives.
Then we show that there are nitely many left cosets of
H \ K in H , and so also in K , and so also in G. This follows

from the \diamond theorem": jG=K j  jH K=K j = jH=H \ K j:

1
 Now k is nite and is a common multiple of m and n; there-
fore [m; n]  k. Another application of the diamond corollary
gives k  mn.
Proof. Let's write out the left cosets of H and K in G:
a1 H; a2 H; :::; a mH

n
b1 K; :::; b K

Each of these partitions G.

We can also partition H and K by left cosets of H \ K :
H = [fhH \ K g;
= [fk H \ K g:
K

Summarizing, we have the 2 partitions of G by H \ K :

8 9 8 9 8 9
>
> >
> > h1H \ K > > >
< h1H \ K = > < >
= >
< h1H \ K >
=
a1
> h2 H \ K
>


> >
> ; a2
>
h2 H \ K
>
>
; : : : ; am
>
>
h2 H \ K
>
>
: ; :


; :


;
8 9 8 9 8 9
>
> >
> > k1 H \ K > > >
< k1 H \ K = > < >
= >
< k1 H \ K >
=
b1
>
>
k2 H \ K
>
>
; b2
>
>
k2 H \ K
>
>
; : : : ; bn
>
>
k2 H \ K
>
>
:


; :


; :


;
Note that since these are 2 partitions of G by H \K , there's a
one-one correspondence between them; i.e. for every aihH \K
there's exactly one bj k H \ K equal to it.
We'll show rst that there're nitely many left cosets of
H \ K in H , which implies that there're nitely many left

cosets of H \ K in G, and so by the one-one correspondence,

there're also nitely many left cosets of H \ K in K , and
mM = nN = jG=H \ K j;
2
where m = jG=H j; M = jH=H \ K j; n = jG=K j; N = jK=H \
K j:

From this we immediately get that jG=H \ K j  [m; n]:

Let's show now that there're nitely many left cosets of
H \ K in H . Recall the proof of

jH jjK j
Theorem. jH K j = j H \K j for nite subgroups H; K of G.

We showed that

Theorem. Let H and K be subgroups of G. Then 2 el-

ements of H represent the same left coset of K i they
represent the same left coset of H \ K .

H and K were nite in that proof, but this theorem applies

to arbitrary H and K . We then deduce:

Theorem. Let H; K  G. Then there're as many left

cosets of K represented by elements of H as there are left
cosets of H \ K in H .

i.e.

Diamond theorem. If H and K are subgroups of G, then

jH K=K j = jH=H \ K j:

3
 Diamond Corollary. If H and K are subgroups of G, then
jG=K j  jH K=K j = jH=H \ K j:
Remark. You can visualize this formula using the dia-
mond lattice of subgroups, involving G; H K; H; K; H \ K .

Then we have
1 > n = jG=K j  jH K=K j = jH=H \ K j = M;
i.e. there're nitely many left cosets of H \ K in H ; also
mn  mM = jG=H \ K j:

Cololrary. Let K  H  G: Then
jG=K j = jG=H jjH=K j:

Proof. Partition G by left cosets of K through H , as above.

If all the indices are nite, then equality follows. OTW, the
LHS is innite i the RHS is.