Uniquely factorizable elements and solvability of finite groups. (Q2499321)

Let \(G\) be a finite group. It is well-known that every \(g\in G\) can be factored in such a way that there is one factor for each prime divisor of \(|G|\), and the order of this factor is \(p^\alpha\) for some integer \(\alpha\geq 0\). \(g\) is said to be `uniquely factorizable' if it has just one such factorization. Let \(U(G)\) be the set of all uniquely factorizable elements of \(G\). The paper contains various results about \(U(G)\) and related concepts. We mention the following: Theorem A. Let \(G\) be Sylow factorizable (i.e., \(G=P_1\cdots P_m\) where the \(P_i\) are Sylow subgroups for the different primes dividing \(|G|\)). Then \(G\) is solvable if and only if \(U(G)\neq\emptyset\). Theorem B. \(G\) is solvable if and only if \(U(G)\) is the Fitting subgroup of \(G\). -- The proofs of these results depend on CFSG by using a result first proved by \textit{M. J. J. Barry} and \textit{M. B. Ward} [Arch. Math. 63, No. 4, 289-290 (1994; Zbl 0811.20020)] stating that \(G\) is solvable if and only if \(1\in U(G)\). Theorem CD. Let \(G\) be a nonsolvable group such that every chief factor of \(G\) is Sylow factorizable. Then \(U(G)=\emptyset\). It is also shown that if \(G\) is a Suzuki group or symmetric group \(S_n\) (\(n\geq 5\)), then \(U(G)=\emptyset\).