Dihedralizing the quaternions

Abstract

In this paper, we take the classic dihedral and quaternion groups and explore questions like "what if we replace $i=e^{2\pi i/4}$ in $Q_8$ with a larger root of unity?" and "what if we add a reflection to $Q_8$?" The delightful answers reveal lesser-known families like the dicyclic, diquaternion, semidihedral, and semiabelian groups, which come to life with visuals such as Cayley graphs, cycle graphs, and subgroup lattices.

Expository and recreational. Full color version of a forthcoming Monthly article. 14 pages, 17 figures