View source for Subgroup, index of a

''in a group $G$''

The number of cosets (cf. [[Coset in a group|Coset in a group]]) in any decomposition of $G$ with respect to this subgroup $H$ (in the infinite case, the cardinality of the set of these cosets). If the number of cosets is finite, $H$ is called a subgroup of finite index in $G$. The intersection of a finite number of subgroups of finite index itself has finite index (Poincaré's theorem). The index of a subgroup $H$ in $G$ is usually denoted by $|G:H|$. The product of the order of a subgroup $H$ by its index $|G:H|$ is equal to the order of $G$ (Lagrange's theorem). This relationship applies to finite groups $G$ and also to infinite groups $G$ for the corresponding cardinalities.

====References====
<table><TR><TD valign="top">[1]</TD> <TD valign="top">  M.I. Kargapolov,   J.I. [Yu.I. Merzlyakov] Merzljakov,   "Fundamentals of the theory of groups" , Springer  (1979)  (Translated from Russian)</TD></TR><TR><TD valign="top">[2]</TD> <TD valign="top">  A.G. Kurosh,   "The theory of groups" , '''1–2''' , Chelsea  (1955–1956)  (Translated from Russian)</TD></TR></table>