Noether's problem for \(p\)-groups with a cyclic subgroup of index \(p^{2}\) (Q610671)

Let \(K\) be a field and let \(G\) be a finite group that acts as a group of \(K\)-automorphisms on the rational function field \(L = K(x_g : g \in G)\) by \(g.x_h = x_{gh}\). Noether's problem asks whether the fixed subfield \(K(G)\) of \(L\) is rational (= purely transcendental) over \(K\). Many partial answers to this question have been established and many of these are due to the author of the paper under review. Here, the author adds one more result. He proves that if \(G\) is a non-abelian \(p\)-group of order \(p^n\) containing a cyclic subgroup of index \(p^2\), and if \(K\) contains a primitive \(p^{n-2}\)-th root of unity, then \(K(G)\) is rational over \(K\). As a corollary, one obtains the rationality of \(K(G)\) for non-abelian groups of order \(p^3\) when \(K\) contains a primitive \(p\)-th root of unity.