Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 April 2009
Let G = H0 > H1 > … > Hr = 1 and G = K0 > K1 > … > Kr =1 be two chief series of the finite soluble group G. Suppose Mi complements Hi/Hi+1. Then Mi also complements precisely one factor Kj/Kj+1, of the second series, and this Kj/Kj+1 is G-isomorphic to Hi/Hi+1. It is shown that complements Mi can be chosen for the complemented factors Hi/Hi+1 of the first series in such a way that distinct Mi complement distinct factors of the second series, thus establishing a one-to-one correspondence between the complemented factors of the two series. It is also shown that there is a one-to-one correspondence between the factors of the two series (but not in general constructible in the above manner), such that corresponding factors are G-isomorphic and have the same number of complements.