A comparison of group algebras of dihedral and quaternion groups (Q2043854)

The group algebras of dihedral and quaternion groups over finite fields of characteristic \(2\) are compared from different points of view, exhibiting various approaches one can take to study the isomorphism problem of group algebras. While it is known that these group algebras are not isomorphic, they still share many interesting properties. After giving the knowledge on the unit groups of the algebras, ring theoretic properties are compared which turn our to be equal in many cases. The derivation algebras of the group algebras are then studied in depth and it is shown that the derivations behave differently for the dihedral and the quaternion groups in two different aspects: the dimensions of the derivation algebras are different as well as the dimensions of the centers. This approach, to my knowledge, has not been taken before in regard to studying the isomorphism problem of modular group algebras of \(p\)-groups. Finally it is shown that the group algebras of the dihedral and the quaternion group of order \(8\) over the field with \(3\) elements are the smallest non-commutative isomorphic group algebras of non-isomorphic groups.