An answer to a question of J. G. Thompson on some generalized characters. (Q1881111)

\textit{J. G. Thompson} [in J. Algebra 179, No. 3, 889-893 (1996; Zbl 0923.20006)] proved that for any finite group \(G\) the functions defined (for \(g\in G\)) by \(\theta_p(g)=|\{h\in G\mid\langle g,h\rangle\) has Abelian Sylow \(p\)-subgroups\(\}|\), \(\theta_{\text{solv}}(g)=|\{h\in G\mid\langle g,h\rangle\) is solvable\(\}|\), and \(\theta_{\text{nilp}}(g)=|\{h\in G\mid\langle g,h\rangle\) is nilpotent\(\}|\) are all generalized characters, and he deemed it ``quite possible'' that they are even characters. In the note under review the author shows by examples that none of them is a character, e.g. for \(\theta_{\text{solv}}\) the counterexample is \(A_5\).