TITLE: $( \ X\to G \ , \ \star \ )$ is a group if $(\varphi \star \psi)(a) = \varphi(a) \star \psi(a)$
QUESTION [7 upvotes]: Let $X$ be a set and $G$ a group with the operation $\star$. Show that the set
$$
\mathcal{X} = \Big\{ \varphi : X\to G \mid \text{$\varphi$ is a function} \Big\}
$$
is a group with the operation
\begin{equation}\label{star}
\big(\varphi \star \psi\big)(a) \; = \; \varphi(a) \star \psi(a)  \qquad \quad \forall\,a\in G.
\end{equation}

So associative is pretty easy since $(G,\star)$ is a group:
Let $\varphi,\tau,\phi\in\mathcal{X}$. Thus,
\begin{align*}
        ((\varphi\star\tau)\star\phi)(g) &= (\varphi\star\tau)(g)\star\phi(g)\\
        &= (\varphi(g)\star\tau(g))\star\phi(g)\\
        &=\varphi(g)\star (\tau(g)\star\phi(g))&G \text{ group}\\
        &= \varphi(g)\star(\tau\star\phi)(g)\\
        &= (\varphi\star(\tau\star\phi))(g)
    \end{align*}
And for identity, let $id:G\to G$ with the map $g\mapsto e$, with $e$ the identity on G, is a function and acts as an identity for $\mathcal{X}$:
$$(\varphi\star id)(g) = \varphi(g)\star id(g) = \varphi(g)\star e = \varphi(g) = e\star \varphi(g) = id(g)\star\varphi(g) = (id\star\varphi)(g).$$
But I'm having trouble proving closure and inverses. Since we don't know if an element is bijective or not, then we can't construct an inverse. And for closure, how can I show that $\varphi(a) \star \psi(a)$ is still a function?

REPLY [5 votes]: You can actually work out what an inverse looks like quite explicitly. Take an arbitary $\varphi \in \mathcal X$. The question is, can we construct a function (let's denote it, completely coincidentally, as $\varphi^{-1}: X \to G$) which satisfies $$\varphi \star \varphi^{-1} \equiv \operatorname{id}.$$
I claim that you can define $\varphi^{-1}$ as
$$\varphi^{-1}(a) = \varphi(a)^{-1} \quad \forall a \in X$$
Note that this is well-defined: $g \equiv \varphi(a) \in G$ so it has an inverse $g^{-1}$.
I will leave it as an exercise for you to prove this claim.