Subgroups of finite index in \((2,3,n)\)-triangle groups. (Q2902690)

For any positive integer \(n\), the ordinary \((2,3,n)\) triangle group \(\Delta(2,3,n)\) is the abstract group with presentation \(\langle x,y\mid x^2=y^3=(xy)^n=1\rangle\). It is known that whenever \(n\geq 7\), this group has a subgroup of index \(m\) for all but finitely many positive integers \(m\), and hence for each such \(n\), there exists a unique positive integer \(M(n)\) such that \(\Delta(2,3,n)\) has a subgroup of index \(m\) for every \(m\geq M(n)\) but has no subgroup of index \(M(n)-1\).NEWLINENEWLINE In this paper, various bounds and explicit values are obtained for \(M(n)\). For example, it is shown that \(M(n)=1\) (in which case \(\Delta(2,3,n)\) has a subgroup of every conceivable index) if and only if \(n\) is divisible by \(20\) or \(30\). Also it is shown that \(M(n)\leq 6n\) for all \(n\geq 53\), with equality occurring when \(n\) is prime. The main results are proved with the help of coset diagrams, which depict transitive permutation representations of the group.NEWLINENEWLINE The author was an expert on the use of coset diagrams to investigate such matters. Sadly he died before completing this paper, but the task was kindly completed by Thomas Müller (with help from an anonymous referee, and with diagrams drawn by Christian Krattenthaler).