A simple construction for a class of \(p\)-groups with all of their automorphisms central. (Q2630378)

A class of finite \(p\)-groups \(G\) of class 2, with \(n\geq 4\) generators, with \(G'\) elementary abelian and with the inner automorphism group \(\mathrm{Inn}(G)\) contained in the center of \(\Aut(G)\) is constructed using an ingenious technique, which illustrates very well the power of linear algebra arguments in dealing with \(p\)-groups of class 2. In the last section, the same technique is adapted to construct examples of finite \(p\)-groups which are E-groups, that is, groups in which every element commutes with all its endomorphic images. The title is a bit misleading, for the construction presented, albeit rather simple in principle, rests on a careful choice of several parameters.