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32 votes
3 answers
3k views

Order of products of elements in symmetric groups

Let $n \in \mathbb{N}$. Is it true that for any $a, b, c \in \mathbb{N}$ satisfying $1 < a, b, c \leq n-2$ the symmetric group ${\rm S}_n$ has elements of order $a$ and $b$ whose product has order $...
Stefan Kohl's user avatar
  • 19.6k
17 votes
1 answer
1k views

Does O'Nan-Scott depend on CFSG?

My question is in the title. Some context: there are two versions of the O'Nan-Scott theorem. The first, weaker version, is due to O'Nan and Scott (independently) and gives the structure of the ...
Nick Gill's user avatar
  • 11.2k
11 votes
1 answer
248 views

How many steps are required for double transitivity?

Let $A$ be a set of generators of $S_n$, or of a doubly transitive subgroup of $S_n$. Assume $e\in A$, $A=A^{-1}$. What is the least $k$ such that $A^k$ is doubly transitive as a set? That is, what is ...
H A Helfgott's user avatar
  • 20.2k
10 votes
0 answers
194 views

Permutation groups with diameter $O(n \log n)$

I suspect that many permutation puzzles can be solved in $O(n \log n)$ moves, which has led me to the following question/conjecture: Suppose that 1. $P_i$ for $i<k=O(1)$ are permutations on an $n$ ...
Dmytro Taranovsky's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
586 views

How hard is it to compute the diameter and the growth function of a finite permutation group of small degree?

Let $G \leq {\rm S}_n$ be a finite permutation group, and let $S = \{g_1, \dots, g_k\}$ be a generating set for $G$ which is closed under inversion and which does not contain the identity. The growth ...
Stefan Kohl's user avatar
  • 19.6k
7 votes
2 answers
422 views

Automorphism group of a special commuting graph

Suppose $S_6$ is the symmetric group on six letters and let $X$ denote the conjugacy class containing $(12)(34)$. Define a graph $\Gamma$ with vertex set $X$ and edges precisely the 2-element subsets ...
maryam's user avatar
  • 81
6 votes
1 answer
2k views

Are there infinitely many insipid numbers?

A number $n$ is called insipid if the groups having a core-free maximal subgroup of index $n$ are exactly $A_n$ and $S_n$. There is an OEIS enter for these numbers: A102842. There are exactly $486$ ...
Sebastien Palcoux's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
435 views

Doubly primitive groups with simple socle

The classification of doubly transitive groups with simple socle is known. A good account of such classification can be found for example in this paper: Cameron, Peter J. Finite permutation groups ...
Leandro Vendramin's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
302 views

What's the ratio of inclusions of finite groups with a distributive lattice?

Definition: Two inclusions of finite groups are equivalent, $(A \subset B) \sim (C \subset D)$, if: $(A/A_B \subset B/A_B) \simeq (C/C_D \subset D/C_D)$ with $A_B$ the normal core of $A$ in $B$. ...
Sebastien Palcoux's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
207 views

Complexity of decision problem to decide if permutation group is $k$-transitive

Given a finite permutation group $G$ (a subgroup of the symmetric group on a finite set) in terms of its generators, what is known about the decision problem of deciding if $G$ is $k$-transitive for a ...
StefanH's user avatar
  • 798
0 votes
0 answers
142 views

Subgroups of powers of the alternating group on 5 elements

Definition: Let $G$ be a group, and let $H \leq G$ be a subgroup. We say that $H$ is big in $G$ if for every intermediate subgroup $H \leq L \leq G$ there exists some $x \in L$ such that $\langle H \...
Pablo's user avatar
  • 11.3k