Characters, conjugacy classes and centrally large subgroups of \(p\)-groups of small rank. (Q661889)

Consider meta-cyclic \(p\)-groups. In this paper the following has been shown. If for such a group \(G\), the order of \([G,G]\) equals \(p^n\), then there are precisely \(|G/[G,G]|(p-1)/p^{k+1}\) irreducible characters of degree \(k\) for \(k=1,2,\dots,n\). Also, \(G\) contains precisely \(|Z(G)|(p^k-p^{k-2})\) conjugacy classes of length \(p^k\) for \(k=2,\dots,n\); note \(|G|= |Z(G)|\cdot|[G,G]|^2\). The results do not hold, in general, when \(p\) is not odd. Furthermore, a concept of \textit{G. Glauberman}, the so-called ``centrally large subgroups'' are taken into consideration in the investigations; [see J. Algebra 300, No. 2, 480-508 (2006; Zbl 1103.20013)]. The authors refer to others who did work on meta-cyclic \(p\)-groups, such as to the work of \textit{S. Liedahl} [J. Algebra 186, No. 2, 436-446 (1996; Zbl 0869.20008)].