Finite groups some of whose n-maximal subgroups are normal (Q1825956)

A subgroup H of a finite group G is r-maximal in G if there are subgroups \(G_ 0=G\supset G_ 1\supset...\supset G_ r=H\) with \(G_ i\) maximal in \(G_{i-1}\), \(1\leq i\leq r\). H does not always determine a unique integer r in this manner, so the author defines \(\alpha_ n(G)\) to consist of those subgroups of G which are n-maximal in G but not r- maximal for any \(r>n\). Continuing earlier work (for \(n=2)\) the author shows that, for relatively small values of n, normality of elements of \(\alpha_ n(G)\) rather than normality of all n-maximal subgroups of G is sufficient to insure nice structure for G. B. Huppert has proved that \(G'\) is nilpotent if every 3-maximal subgroup of G is normal and that G is supersolvable if, in addition, the order of G is divisible by more than two distinct primes. The author proves (Theorems 4.1, 4.2) that these conclusions hold if the elements of \(\alpha_ 3(G)\) are normal in G. In Section 5, using his extension of a result of the reviewer on variance, the author shows that if the elements of \(\alpha_ n(G)\) are normal in G for \(n=4,5,6\) or 7, and if 3 does not divide the order of G, then G is solvable. In Section 6 he shows that if G is an odd order group in which the elements of \(\alpha_ 4(G)\) are normal then \(G'\) is nilpotent. In the extended Section 7 the author obtains a number of interesting results on the structure of a solvable group G in which every element of \(\alpha_ n(G)\) is normal. For example, G is supersolvable (nilpotent) if the number of distinct prime factors of the order of G exceeds n-1 (n).