\(R\)-sequenceability and \(R^*\)-sequenceability of Abelian 2-groups (Q1331996)

A group of order \(n\) is said to be \(R\)-sequenceable if the nonidentity elements of the group can be listed in a sequence \(a_ 1,a_ 2,\dots,a_{n-1}\) such that the quotients \(a^{-1}_ 1a_ 2,a^{- 1}_ 2a_ 3,\dots,a^{-1}_{n-2}a_{n-1},a^{-1}_{n-1}a_ 1\) are distinct. An abelian group is \(R^*\)-sequenceable if it has an \(R\)- sequencing \(a_ 1, a_ 2, \dots, a_{n-1}\) such that \(a_{i-1} a_{i+1} = a_ i\) for some \(i\) (subscripts are read modulo \(n-1\)). An \(R^*\)-sequenceable Sylow 2-subgroup is a sufficient condition for a group to be \(R\)-sequenceable [see: \textit{R. J. Friedlander, B. Gordon} and \textit{M. D. Miller}, Proc. 9th Southeast Conf. Combinatorics, graph theory and computing 1978, 307-321 (1978; Zbl 0407.20043)]. It is proved that all noncyclic abelian 2-groups are \(R^*\)-sequenceable except for \(Z_ 2 \times Z_ 4\) and \(Z_ 2 \times Z_ 2 \times Z_ 2\). Thus, it follows that an abelian group whose Sylow 2-subgroup is noncyclic and not of order 8 is \(R^*\)-sequenceable.