How many short exact sequences are there $\mathbf{k} \hookrightarrow \mathbf{k}^2 \twoheadrightarrow \mathbf{k}$?

69 Views Asked by At

Letting $\mathbf{k}$ be a field with $q$ elements. How many short exact sequences of vector spaces are there $$\mathbf{k} \hookrightarrow \mathbf{k}^2 \twoheadrightarrow \mathbf{k}\,?$$ My brain is telling me something different than my GAP program, and I'm trying to figure out which one is lying to me. ;)

1

There are 1 best solutions below

0
On BEST ANSWER

There are $q^2 - 1$ choices for the injection. Once the injection is chosen, pick basis $a, b$ for $k^2$ where $a$ is in the image of the injection and $b$ isn't. Then the surjection must send $a$ to $0$ (since the sequence is exact) and $b$ to a non-zero element. This gives us a total of $(q^2 - 1)(q - 1)$ choices.