A theorem on metabelian p-groups and some consequences (Q794761)

Let G be a finite p-group for some prime p. The author defines \(\zeta(G)=\{a| \quad(ax)^ p=a^ px^ p\quad and\quad(xa)^ p=x^ pa^ p\quad \forall x\quad in\quad G\}.\) He calls \(\zeta\) (G) the p-centre of G. In this paper the author uses the p-centre of G to study metabelian p-groups. The main result is Theorem 1. Let G be a finite metabelian p-group. Let a be in \(\zeta\) (G) and x be in G. Then \(<a,x>'\) is an elementary abelian group and \(<a,x>\) has nilpotency class less than p. As a consequence of this if G is a 2-generator metabelian p-group, \(G=<a,x>\) with a in \(\zeta\) (G) then \(G=\zeta(G).\) The author states that this result holds for any 2-generator p-group but does not provide a proof. He also gives an example of a group \(H=<x,y>\) such that \((xy)^ p=x^ py^ p\) and \((yx)^ p=y^ px^ p\) but \(H\neq \zeta(H).\)