Solvable groups with four supercharacter theories (Q7239096)

The paper concerns finite solvable groups with exactly four supercharacter theories. It continues the classification problem for finite groups according to the number of their supercharacter theories, following the classifications of solvable groups with two and three supercharacter theories (see respectively [\textit{S.~Burkett} et al., Commun. Algebra 45, No. 3, 977-982 (2017; Zbl 1369.20005)] and [\textit{M.~L.~Lewis} and \textit{C.~Wynn}, J. Algebra 503, 372-388 (2018; Zbl 1447.20006)]).\N\NA supercharacter theory of a finite group \(G\) is a pair \((\mathcal{K},\mathcal{X})\), where \(\mathcal{K}\) and \(\mathcal{X}\) are partitions of \(G\) and \(\mathrm{Irr}(G)\), respectively, satisfying the usual compatibility conditions. The paper uses the maximal and minimal supercharacter theories, denoted by \(M(G)\) and \(m(G)\), together with automorphic supercharacter theories, direct products of supercharacter theories, and a construction from a normal subgroup and the corresponding quotient.\N\NThe main result states that, if \(G\) is a solvable group and \(|\mathrm{Sup}(G)|=4\), then either \(G\cong Z_p\), where \(p=2q+1\) for an odd prime \(q\), or \(G\cong D_{38}\). The cyclic case uses the description of supercharacter theories of cyclic groups of prime order in terms of divisors of \(p-1\). The non-abelian case is handled by considering the number and configuration of proper normal subgroups of \(G\), and by using the classifications of solvable groups with two and three supercharacter theories; the exceptional non-abelian case obtained is the dihedral group \(D_{38}\).