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Find two different $5$-Sylow subgroups in $S_{16}$.
Hint: use group multiplication.

Any hints?

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    Does conjugation work here? In this case we just need to find a 5-sylow subgroup of $S_{16}$ which is not normal which will fulfill the condition, don't we? If I miss something, please tell me, thanks. By the way, to type $S_{16}$ is better to use S_{16} instead of S_16 as far as I am concerned.2011-02-16

2 Answers 2

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What does a permutation of order 5 look like?

Can you give a condition when two permutations of order 5 commute?

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    You should look at the multiplication of the three (cyclic) groups generated by these cycles, as indicated by your hint, noting that the generators mutually commute.2011-02-16
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Since $16!$ is divisible by $5^3$, but not $5^4$, the $5$-Sylow subgroups of $S_{16}$ are the subgroups of order $5^3$.

An example is $\langle (1\ 2\ 3\ 4\ 5), (6\ 7\ 8\ 9\ 10), (11\ 12\ 13\ 14\ 15)\rangle.$ (Since any pair of generators commutes, the group has isomorphism type $\mathbb Z/5\mathbb Z\times\mathbb Z/5\mathbb Z\times\mathbb Z/5\mathbb Z$ and in particular order $5^3$.)

Another example is $\langle (1\ 2\ 3\ 4\ 5), (6\ 7\ 8\ 9\ 10), (11\ 12\ 13\ 14\ 16)\rangle.$

Both examples have a unique common fixed point of all elements. In the first example, it is $16$, and in the second example it is $15$. So the examples give two different $5$-Sylow subgroups of $S_{16}$.