The permutation characterActions of groupsCosetsThe Cauchy-Frobenius Lemma

The Cauchy-Frobenius Lemma

The previous result is very important, it is essential in the proof of the following counting lemma which, together with later refinements, forms the basic tool of the theory of enumeration under finite group action:

The Lemma of Cauchy-Frobenius The number of orbits of a finite group G acting on a finite set X is equal to the average number of fixed points:
| G \\X | =(1)/( | G | ) åg ÎG | Xg | .

Proof:

åg ÎG | Xg | = åg åx ÎXg 1 = åx åg ÎGx 1 = åx | Gx | ,

which is, by the index formula, equal to | G | åx | G(x) | -1 = | G | · | G \\X | .

Now you can try to make some calculations using the Cauchy-Frobenius Lemma.


harald.fripertinger "at" uni-graz.at http://www-ang.kfunigraz.ac.at/~fripert/
UNI-Graz Institut für Mathematik
UNI-Bayreuth Lehrstuhl II für Mathematik
last changed: January 19, 2005

The permutation characterActions of groupsCosetsThe Cauchy-Frobenius Lemma