Polycyclic groups with modular finite homomorphic images (Q5937383)

Let \(G\) be a polycyclic group. It is well known that for many group theoretical properties \(\mathcal X\), the condition that all finite homomorphic images of \(G\) satisfy \(\mathcal X\) implies that \(G\) itself is an \(\mathcal X\)-group. In particular, \textit{K. A. Hirsch} [Proc. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 49, 184-194 (1947; Zbl 0033.14902)] proved that any polycyclic non-nilpotent group admits a finite non-nilpotent quotient, and the corresponding result for the property of being a supersoluble group was obtained by \textit{R. Baer} [Abh. Math. Semin. Univ. Hamb. 23, 11-28 (1959; Zbl 0092.02004)]. Finally, \textit{J. C. Lennox} and \textit{J. S. Wilson} [Arch. Math. 28, 113-116 (1977; Zbl 0368.20018)] showed that a polycyclic group \(G\) is quasihamiltonian (i.e. \(HK=KH\) for all subgroups \(H\) and \(K\) of \(G\)) if and only if every finite homomorphic image of \(G\) is quasihamiltonian. In this article the author obtains an interesting further result of this type proving that a polycyclic group has modular subgroup lattice if and only if all its finite homomorphic images have the same property. Since a group \(G\) is quasihamiltonian if and only if it is locally nilpotent and its subgroup lattice is modular, this theorem generalizes the above quoted result of Lennox and Wilson.