On the divisibility of \(\#\Hom(\Gamma,G)\) by \(|G|\). (Q420729)

In this paper a result of \textit{L. Solomon} [Arch. Math. 20, 241-247 (1969; Zbl 0205.03003)] is extended and reformulated. Among the results obtained the authors show that if \(\Gamma\) is a finitely generated group then \(|G|\) divides \(\#\Hom(\Gamma,G)\) for every finite group \(G\) if and only if \(\Gamma/\Gamma'\) is infinite. One consequence is that certain arithmetic properties of the number of subgroups of a given index in such a \(\Gamma\) are obtained. Here \(\#\Hom(\Gamma,G)\) denotes the cardinality of the set \(\Hom(\Gamma,G)\).