# Prove that no proper nontrivial subgroup of Z is finite.

• Jul 17th 2011, 05:09 PM
dori1123
Prove that no proper nontrivial subgroup of Z is finite.
Prove that no proper nontrivial subgroup of Z is finite. (Z is the set of integers)
• Jul 17th 2011, 06:12 PM
ModusPonens
Re: Prove that no proper nontrivial subgroup of Z is finite.
Hint: are the subgroups of Z cyclic?
• Jul 17th 2011, 11:57 PM
Drexel28
Re: Prove that no proper nontrivial subgroup of Z is finite.
Quote:

Originally Posted by dori1123
Prove that no proper nontrivial subgroup of Z is finite. (Z is the set of integers)

Another way to think about it is that if $G$ is some finite subgroup of $\mathbb{Z}$ and $g\in G$ then by Lagrange's theorem you know that $|G|g=0$. Now tell me, for what $g\in\mathbb{Z}$ does that equation have a solution?
• Jul 18th 2011, 01:11 AM
FernandoRevilla
Re: Prove that no proper nontrivial subgroup of Z is finite.
Another way: if $H\neq \{0\}$ is a subgroup of $\mathbb{Z}$ , use the Euclidean Division to prove that $H=(m)$ for some $m\in \mathbb{Z}-\{0\}$.

P.S. Of course, this way provides unnecessary information with respect to the initial question.