Def A subgroup of a group G is a subset of G which is a group relative to the operations of G.

Equivalently, a subset H of G is a subgroup of G if and only if:

  • (a) eG in H;
  • (b) x,y in H ==> xy in H;
  • (c) x in H ==> x-1 in H.

For example the even integers form a subgroup of the additive group of the integers (Z,+).