Classification of finite groups according to the number of conjugacy classes (Q1068932)

The aim of this paper is the classification of finite groups in terms of the number of conjugacy classes. Let G be a finite group, \(r=r(G)\) the number of conjugacy classes, and \(\beta\) (G) the number of minimal normal subgroups of G. The authors classify the families \(\phi_ i=\{G| \beta (G)=r(G)-i\}\) for \(1\leq i\leq 10\). As an immediate corollary they find not only the previously known finite groups with r(G)\(\leq 9\), but also those finite groups satisfying one of the following conditions: (i) \(r(G)=10\). (ii) \(r(G)=11\). (iii) \(r(G)=12\) and \(\beta (G)>1\). (iv) \(r(G)=13\) and \(\beta (G)>2\). (v) \(r(G)=14\) and \(\beta (G)>3\). (vi) \(r(G)=n\) and \(\beta (G)=n- a\) with \(1\leq a\leq 10\) for each integer \(n\geq 15\).