The order of groups satisfying a converse to Lagrange's theorem (Q4786401)

A \(\mathcal Y\)-group \(G\) is a group \(G\) such that for each subgroup \(H\) and each prime factor \(p\) of \(|G:H|\), there exists a subgroup \(K\supset H\) such that \(|K:H|=p\). The author characterizes the orders of the \(\mathcal Y\)-groups, called the \(\mathcal Y\)-numbers, and the minimal non-\(\mathcal Y\)-groups, that is those groups in which each proper subgroup is a \(\mathcal Y\)-group but the group is not. The main results on \(\mathcal Y\)-numbers are the following: Suppose the integer \(n\) is written as a product of distinct prime powers, \(n=p_1^{a_1}\cdots p_r^{a_r}\), and let \((a,b)\) denote the greatest common divisor of two non-negative integers \(a\), \(b\). Then \(n\) is a \(\mathcal Y\)-number if and only if (1) \((p_i,\prod_{\mu=1}^{a_j}(p_j^\mu-1))=(p_i,p_j-1)\), \(1\leq i,j\leq r\), \(i\neq j\); (2) if \(p_i\mid(p_j-1)\), then \(a_j=1\) for \(1\leq i,j \leq r\), \(i\neq j\). Moreover if \(G\) is a \(\mathcal Y\)-group, there exists a normal Hall subgroup \(N\) such that \(G/N\) and \(N\) are both nilpotent and the order of \(N\) is square-free. On the set \(V\) of orders of minimal non-\(\mathcal Y\)-groups there exists a partial order \(v_1<v_2\) if \(v_1\mid v_2\). Denote by \(W\) the subset of minimal elements in \(V\). The author proves the existence of a non-\(\mathcal Y\)-group of order \(n\) is equivalent to either (1) there exists primes \(p,q\) such that \(p^s\mid n\) but \(p^{s+1}\nmid n\), \(q\nmid(p-1)\) and \(p^2q\mid n\). Denote by \(o(a,n)\) the order of \(a\) in the multiplicative group formed by the elements in \(\mathbb{Z}_n\) such that \((a,n)=1\). If there exists a non-\(\mathcal Y\)-group of order \(n\), then one of the following statements is valid: (1) there are primes \(p,q\) such that \(p^aq\mid n\), where \(a=o(p,q)\geq 2\) or (2) there are primes \(p,q\) such that \(q\mid(p-1)\) and \(p^2q\mid n\). Conversely if either (1) or (2) is valid, there exists a non-\(\mathcal Y\)-group of order \(n\). It follows then that \(W\) is precisely the set of integers \(k\) such that either \(k=p^aq\), \(a=o(p,q)\geq 2\), or \(k=p^2q\) and \(q\mid(p-1)\). If the order of a group \(G\) satisfies the first set of conditions and \(Q\) is a Sylow \(q\)-subgroup, then (1) either \(Q\) is normal or \(Q={\mathcal N}_G(Q)\); (2) if \(Q\) is normal, then \(G\) is a \(\mathcal Y\)-group; (3) if \(Q\) is not normal, then \(G\) has no subgroup of order \(p^sq\), \(1\leq s\leq(a-1)\) and \(G\) is not a \(\mathcal Y\)-group; (4) any two non-\(\mathcal Y\)-groups of order \(k\) are isomorphic. Let \(G\) be a group of order \(k\) that satisfies the second set of conditions and \(P,Q\) be a pair of Sylow-subgroups that correspond to the primes \(p,q\) respectively. Then \(P\) is normal and (1) if \(Q\) is normal, \(G=P\times Q\in{\mathcal Y}\); (2) if \(P\) is cyclic, \(G\) is a \(\mathcal Y\)-group, (3) if \(G\) is not a \(\mathcal Y\)-group, then \(P=\mathbb{Z}_p^2\) and there exists a monomorphism \(\theta\colon\mathbb{Z}_q\to\Aut(\mathbb{Z}_p^2)\) such that \(G\) is isomorphic to the semidirect product \([\mathbb{Z}_q]_\theta\mathbb{Z}_p^2\) with respect to the action of \(\theta\).