A characterization of the finite simple groups (Q5958879)

The first main theorem is that if \(N\) and \(G\) are simple groups with \(|N|\) dividing \(|G|\), all indices of maximal subgroups of \(N\) being indices of maximal subgroups of \(G\), and the smallest such index being equal to the two groups, then \(N=G\) except in the two cases \((N,G)=(L_2(11),M_{11})\) and \((N,G)=(U_3(3),S_6(2))\). The proof uses the classification theorem for finite simple groups, as well as much of the Liebeck-Praeger-Saxl-Seitz theory of maximal subgroups, and proceeds by a case-by-case analysis. The second main theorem characterizes all finite simple groups by their orders and the set of indices of maximal subgroups.