It is shown that the simple groups G2(q), q = 3f, are characterized by their character table. This result completes characterization of the simple groups G2(q), q odd, by their character table.

Let Out (RG) be the set of all outer R-automorphisms of a group ring RG of arbitrary group G over a commutative ring R with 1. It is proved that there is a bijective correspondence between the set Out (RG) and a set consisting of R(G × G)-isomorphism classes of R-free R(G × G)-modules of a certain type. For the case when G is finite and R is the ring of algebraic integers of an algebraic number field the above result implies that there are only finitely many conjugacy classes of group bases in RG. A generalization of a result due to R. Sandling is also provided.

The main result is that d(Ssm) = n+2 for every finite non-abelian two-generator simple group S of order s and every integer n > 0. This is applied to give a very close estimate on d(Gn) for any finite group G whose simple images are two-generator. The article is based on the author's previous papers with similar titles.

Let k be an algebraically closed field of characteristic p, and G a finite group. Let M be an indecomposable kG-module with vertex V and source X, and let P be a Sylow p-subgroup of G containing V. Theorem: If dimkX is prime to p and if NG(V) is p-solvable, then the p-part of dimkM equals [P:V]; dimkX is prime to p if V is cyclic.

It is proved that a finite metabelian group G is determined by its group ring KG where the ring K satisfies the following conditions.

Let g be a connected reductive linear algebraic group, and let G = gσ be the finite subgroup of fixed points, where σ is the generalized Frobenius endomorphism of g. Let x be a regular semisimple element of G and let w be a corresponding element of the Weyl group W. In this paper we give a formula for the number of right cosets of a parabolic subgroup of G left fixed by x, in terms of the corresponding action of w in W. In case G is untwisted, it turns out thta x fixes exactly as many cosets as does W in the corresponding permutation representation.

In conjunction with an earlier work by Leong (1974a), this paper completes the solution of the isomorphism problem for finite nilpotent groups of class two with cyclic centre. A canonical decomposition for 2-groups of such type is obtained and proved.

Let G be a finite group with d(G) = α, d(G/G′) = β≥1. If G has non-abelian simple images, let s denote the order of a smallest such image. Then d(Gn) = βn provided that βn≥α + 1 + log8n. If all simple images of G are abelian, then d(Gn) = βn provided that βn≥α. If G is non-trivial and perfect, with s again denoting the order of a smallest non-abelian simple image, then d(Gsn)≼d(G) + n for all n≥0. These results improve on results in previous papers with similar titles.

The product of two subsets C, D of a group is defined as . The power Ce is defined inductively by C0 = {1}, Ce = CCe−1 = Ce−1C. It is known that in the alternating group An, n > 4, there is a conjugacy class C such that CC covers An. On the other hand, there is a conjugacy class D such that not only DD≠An, but even De≠An for e<[n/2]. It may be conjectured that as n ← ∞, almost all classes C satisfy C3 = An. In this article, it is shown that as n ← ∞, almost all classes C satisfy C4 = An.

In this note I settle a question which arose out of my first paper under the above title (cf. [1]), where I considered the classgroup C(Z(Γ)) of the integral groupring Z(Γ) of a finite Abelian group Γ. This classgroup maps onto the classgroup C() of the maximal order of the rational groupring Q(Γ), and C() is the product of the ideal classgroups of the algebraic number fields which occur as components of Q(Γ) and is thus in a sense known. One is then interested in the kernel D(Z(Γ)) of C(Z(Γ)) → C() and in its order k(Γ). In [1] I proved that, for Γ a p-group, k(Γ) is a power of p. I also computed k(Γ) for small exponents. My computation used crucially the fact that, for the groups Γ considered, the groups of units of algebraic integers which occurred were finite, i.e. that the only number fields which turned up were Q and Q(n) with n4 = 1 or n6 = 1. The numerical results obtained led me to the question whether in fact k(Γ) tends to infinity with the order of Γ.