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Complexity to find "short" (e.g. polynomial in diameter) decomposition of the permutation into the product of generators?

Question 1: Consider the symmetric group $S_n$ and some set of permutations $p_i$. Given permutation $g$ - what is known about the algorithmic complexity to decompose $g$ into product of $p_i$ ...
Alexander Chervov's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
224 views

Generating set of permutation group such that generators do not "contain" other group elements

Let $(G, X)$ be a permutation group with domain $X$. Let $O=\{o_1,\dots,o_m\}$ be the set of orbits of $G$. I am interested in generating sets $S$ with the following property: Let $g\in S$ be a ...
Martin Rubey's user avatar
  • 5,792
6 votes
0 answers
156 views

What are the possible symmetry groups of n-point constructions in the projective plane?

Let $k$ be an infinite field, perhaps take $k = \mathbb{C}$ if it simplifies matters. I will be asking a question about $\mathbb{P}^2$ for definiteness and to simplify definitions/notations, but feel ...
Gro-Tsen's user avatar
  • 32.4k
3 votes
1 answer
129 views

Holt's Theorem on doubly transitive groups with $2$-central involutions fixing only one letter

In D. F. Holt, Transitive permutation groups in which an involution central in a Sylow 2-subgroup fixes a unique point, Proc. London Math. Soc. 37 (1978), 165–192, Derek Holt classifies finite doubly ...
THC's user avatar
  • 4,547
2 votes
0 answers
101 views

Are the alternating pentultimate and the $2$-alternating pentultimate isomorphic?

Consider a physical puzzle which is in the shape of a dodecahedron where the pieces that move are the face centers and you can slice it through a plane parallel to two opposite faces going through the ...
Bram Cohen's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
460 views

Does every transitive permutation group contain a permutation whose cycle lengths have a common divisor?

Let $H$ be a transitive subgroup of $\mathfrak{S}_n$, $n \geq 2$. Using Jordan's lemma ($H$ is not a union of conjugate proper subgroups), we see that $H$ contains a permutation without fixed points. ...
Moinsdeuxcat's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
94 views

cycle types of all words in a permutation group

I have been working with permutation groups. For a given $G\subset S_n$, what I have been computing depends only on the conjugacy class of $G$. Say all permutation groups in this question are ...
Pierre's user avatar
  • 2,287
5 votes
1 answer
282 views

Questions about algorithms for permutation groups

Let $G < S_n$ be a permutation group of degree $n$, $\mathcal{P(n)}$ denote the set of all partitions of $n$, and $c: G \rightarrow \mathcal{P}(n)$, where $c(g)$ is the partition given by the ...
Victor Miller's user avatar
4 votes
0 answers
88 views

Diameters of permutation groups with transitive generators

Suppose that for a permutation puzzle on $n$ elements we have a subroutine to place any $m>3$ elements in arbitrary positions (possibly scrambling the rest). Can we solve the puzzle (if it is ...
Dmytro Taranovsky's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
91 views

Totally imprimitive groups

Following [Neumann P.M., The lawlessness of groups of finitary permutation groups, Arch. Math. 55(6) 1990, 521-532], we define totally imprimitive groups in a more general form as follows: Let $G$ be ...
IGT's user avatar
  • 69
2 votes
0 answers
115 views

Conjugacy classes of $P\Gamma L(2,q)$

$\DeclareMathOperator\PGaL{P\Gamma L}\DeclareMathOperator\GF{GF}$May I know whether there are any developments made on the conjugacy classes of $\PGaL(2,q)$ where $q$ is a prime power but not a prime? ...
Chong Eu Meng's user avatar
12 votes
1 answer
450 views

abelian quotients of permutation groups

Let $G$ be a subgroup of the permutation group $S_n$, and let $H$ be a normal subgroup of $G$ such that the quotient group $G/H$ is abelian. What is the best known upper estimate for the cardinality $...
Yuri Bilu's user avatar
  • 1,294
3 votes
0 answers
181 views

Centralizer of each element of a subgroup contained in the normalizer of the subgroup

Let $G \leq \operatorname{Sym}(\Omega)$ be a permutational group. A base for $G$ is a sequence of elements of $\Omega$ whose pointwise stabilizer is the identity. A base is called irredundant if no ...
Fabio Mastrogiacomo's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
209 views

Asymptotic number of permutation representations of a given group

Let $G$ be a finitely generated group. I am trying to count the number of permutation representations on $n$ elements, i.e. homomorphisms from $G$ to the symmetric group $S_n$. Equivalently this is ...
Squala's user avatar
  • 974
5 votes
1 answer
252 views

Irreducible deleted permutation module for a finite group

Let $G$ be a subgroup of the symmetric group $S_n = \operatorname{Sym}(X)$. Let $k$ be a field, and let $V$ be the permutation module corresponding to $X$. Then $V$ is not irreducible, it has a $1$-...
spin's user avatar
  • 2,821
4 votes
3 answers
328 views

Is a point stabilizer in the Mathieu group $M_{20}$ half-transitive?

The background: We recall/define the following: $\Omega_n=\{1,\dots,n\}$. $M_n$ is the Mathieu group of degree $n$. We follow the Wikipedia article "Mathieu group" and define these groups ...
John McVey's user avatar
  • 1,068
0 votes
1 answer
213 views

A particular permutation on $\mathbb{Z}_n$

Let us consider $\mathbb{Z}_N=\{0,1,\cdots N-1\}$. Does there exist any permutation $\sigma$ on $\mathbb{Z}_N$ satisfying : $$\exists p,q\in\mathbb{N}, ~~p,q\neq0 (mod~N) ~~\forall i,j\in \mathbb{Z}...
ABB's user avatar
  • 4,058
4 votes
2 answers
369 views

Minimal degree of primitive permutation group

Helmut Wielandt discussed an old question (Chap. 2, Section 15, which can be dated back to Camille Jordan): Let $g\neq 1$ be a permutation in some finite primitive permutation group $G$ of degree $n$. ...
Y. Zhao's user avatar
  • 3,337
2 votes
1 answer
267 views

On Sylow subgroups of finitary symmetric groups

$\DeclareMathOperator\FSym{FSym}$Let $p$ be a prime and $S$ be a transitive Sylow $p$-subgroup of $\FSym(\mathbb{N})$, the finitary symmetric group of the set of all natural numbers. Question: Is $S$ ...
Ahmet Arikan's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
196 views

Isomorphic Sylow p-subgroups of FSym$(\mathbb{N})$

Let FSym$(\mathbb{N})$ denote the finitary symmetric group on the natural numbers. Are all Sylow p-subgroups of FSym$(\mathbb{N})$ isomorphic (maybe to the iterated wreath product $C_p\wr C_p\wr\dots$ ...
Ahmet Arikan's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
113 views

Sylow $p$-subgroups of FSym($\mathbb N$)

$\DeclareMathOperator\FSym{FSym}$Let $\FSym(\mathbb{N})$ denote the finitary symmetric group on the set of natural numbers. How many Sylow $p$-subgroups does $\FSym(\mathbb{N})$ have for any prime $p$?...
Ahmet Arikan's user avatar
5 votes
3 answers
498 views

Generation of permutation groups by fixed elements subgroups

Suppose $(H,X)$ is a permutation group (with $H$ a group acting faithfully on the set $X$). Under what circumstances is $H$ generated by its subgroups $H_x$, where $H_x$ is the subgroup of $H$ fixing $...
THC's user avatar
  • 4,547
0 votes
1 answer
284 views

Given the index of two permutations, Is there a direct way to compute the index of their composition? [closed]

Suppose you are given two indexed permutations, (7 followed by 4, for instance) What is the best way to go about finding their composition, given the indices themselves? I'd imagine that the answer ...
Sean Miller's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
135 views

Permutation group with a nice lattice of block systems

Let $X$ be a finite set and $G$ be a transitive subgroup of the symmetric group on $X.$ Recall that a (complete) block system for this action is a partition of $X = B_1 \cup \cdots \cup B_k$ into ...
tim's user avatar
  • 396
0 votes
0 answers
102 views

classification for some groups

Let $G$ be a finite group. Suppose that $G$ acts on a set, say $X$, transitively such that for every $x\in X$, $G_x^g=G_x$ or $G_x^g\cap G_x=\{1\}$. Could you please tell me if there is a ...
salam's user avatar
  • 1
6 votes
1 answer
252 views

Is there a known classification of regular multiplicity-free permutation groups?

The question is in the title, but let me clarify the terminology. I consider a permutation group $\Sigma\subseteq\mathrm{Sym}(\Omega)$ on a finite set $\Omega$. $\Sigma$ is regular if it acts ...
M. Winter's user avatar
  • 13.6k
2 votes
1 answer
129 views

Source for: a permutation group is multiplicity-free if and only if its 2-orbits define an association scheme

I have recently proven the following (at least, so I believe): Theorem. Given a permutation group $\Sigma\subseteq\mathrm{Sym}(\Omega)$ on the set $\Omega:=\{1,...,n\}$, the following are equivalent: ...
M. Winter's user avatar
  • 13.6k
0 votes
0 answers
181 views

Request for a modern Reference for Frobenius' paper "Über die Charaktere der mehrfach transitiven Gruppen"

I'm interested in the paper of Jan Saxl "The Complex Characters of the Symmetric Groups that Remain Irreducible in Subgroups". I have only (not yet enough!) standard background on the ...
gualterio's user avatar
  • 1,013
3 votes
1 answer
206 views

Does the Hawaiian Earring Group embed into the permutation group of $\mathbb N$?

Recall that the Hawaiian earring group, $\mathbb G$, is the fundamental group of the Hawaiian Earing using the point at the origin. It can be understood more combinatorially as a subgroup of the ...
Corey Bacal Switzer's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
215 views

Automorphism group of a putative strongly regular graph

The smallest feasible parameters for which no strongly regular graph is known to exist are $(69,48,32,36)$, as per Brouwer's table. What is known on the automorphism group of such a graph?
Patrick Sole's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
344 views

For which $n$ can $S_n$ act transitively on $n+k$ elements?

It is known that the symmetric group $S_n$ can act transitively on $n+1$ elements if and only if $n=5$. Are there similar classifications for $S_n$ acting transitively on $n+k$ elements, where $k$ is ...
M. Winter's user avatar
  • 13.6k
6 votes
1 answer
287 views

Group action with unique word

This must be known or easy for some of you, but here goes: Suppose $f_0,f_1:[n]\to [n]$ are invertible functions, where $[n]=\{0,\dots,n-1\}$ is a set of $n$ elements. For a word $w=w_1\dots w_m\in\{...
Bjørn Kjos-Hanssen's user avatar
7 votes
0 answers
115 views

Extensions of oligomorphic groups

Recall that a permutation group $G\le\mathfrak{S}(\mathbb N)$ is oligomorphic if, for any positive integer $k$, the induced $G$-action on $k$-tuples of distinct elements of $\mathbb N$ has only ...
Yves Stalder's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
329 views

Can $1\ne H\cap H^g\lhd H$ happen if $G$ is a primitive permutation group with stabiliser $H$?

Assume everything is finite. Let $G$ be a primitive permutation group with point stabiliser $G_\alpha$ for some $\alpha$. For $\beta\ne\alpha$, by an arc stabiliser we mean $G_{\alpha\beta}=G_\alpha\...
Groups's user avatar
  • 379
12 votes
0 answers
277 views

How many steps on $S_n$ are required to span $V\wedge V$, $V = K^n$?

Let $A$ be a set of generators of $G=S_n$; assume $e\in A$, $A=A^{-1}$. Let $V = K^n$, $K$ a field. Consider the natural action of $G$ on $V$ (namely, $g(e_i) = e_{g(i)}$) and on $W = V\wedge V$ (...
H A Helfgott's user avatar
  • 20.2k
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
7 votes
1 answer
237 views

Permutation groups generated by finitely many point stabilisers

Assume that $G\leq\operatorname{Sym}(X)$ is a permutation group generated by all its point stabilisers, i.e. $G=\langle G_x \mid x\in X\rangle$. There is no cardinality restriction on $X$. Furthermore,...
Jens Bossaert's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
578 views

Wreath product $S_k\wr S_n$ inside $S_{kn}$

I want to understand wreath products a little better. Currently, my intuition about them is as follows. Take $nk$ disks, pile them in order forming $n$ piles of $k$ disks (one pile contains disks {1,...
thedude's user avatar
  • 1,549
21 votes
1 answer
622 views

If $S_\mathbb N$ is partitioned into finitely many pieces, must one piece contain a "skew copy" of every countable group?

Suppose $G$ and $H$ are groups. $C \subseteq H$ is called a skew copy of $G$ in $H$ if $C = hK$ for some $h \in H$ and some subgroup $K$ of $H$ with $K \cong G$. Question 1: Suppose the infinite ...
Will Brian's user avatar
  • 18.5k
6 votes
2 answers
384 views

Irreducible factors of primitive permutation group representation

Consider a primitive permutation group $\Gamma\subseteq\mathrm{Sym}(N)$ on the $n$-element set $N=\{1,...,n\}$, that is, $\Gamma$ does not preserve any non-trivial partition of $N$. Consider the ...
M. Winter's user avatar
  • 13.6k
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
4 votes
1 answer
378 views

Is $(\mathbb{R},+)$ isomorphic to a subgroup of $S_\omega$?

Is $(\mathbb{R},+)$ isomorphic to a subgroup of $S_\omega$, the group of permutations of the set of non-negative integers $\omega$?
Dominic van der Zypen's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
460 views

Connections between linear representations and permutation representations

A finite group $\Gamma$ might be represented by a linear transformation $$\rho : \Gamma\to\mathrm{GL}(\Bbb R^d),$$ or by permutations $$\phi :\Gamma\to\mathrm{Sym}(n).$$ Of course, latter ones can ...
M. Winter's user avatar
  • 13.6k
3 votes
1 answer
158 views

Multiplication in $Z(\mathbb{C}S_n)$ [duplicate]

I am trying to multiply two generators of center $Z(\mathbb{C}[S_n])$ of ring algebra of symmetric group of $n$ elements. We know that these generators are given by sums of conjugacy classes in $S_n,$ ...
Filip's user avatar
  • 1,677
1 vote
2 answers
1k views

Generators for permutation groups

Consider (e.g.) the full permutation group $G=S_6$. A valid set of generators and equations for $G$ is $r^6=m^2=(rm)^5=1$. I say this system has width $3$ (because there are $3$ equations), length $10$...
Hauke Reddmann's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
152 views

Diameter for permutations of bounded support

Let $S\subset \textrm{Sym}(n)$ be a set of permutations each of which is of bounded support, that is, each $\sigma\in S$ moves $O(1)$ elements of $\{1,2,\dotsc,n\}$. Let $\Gamma$ be the graph whose ...
H A Helfgott's user avatar
  • 20.2k
4 votes
1 answer
202 views

Example of primitive permutation group with a regular suborbit and a non-faithful suborbit

I would like some examples of groups $G$ satisfying all of the following criteria: $G<Sym(n)$, the symmetric group on $n$ letters, and $G$ is primitive. $G$ has a regular suborbit, i.e. if $M$ is ...
Nick Gill's user avatar
  • 11.2k
31 votes
2 answers
1k views

Does the symmetric group $S_{10}$ factor as a knit product of symmetric subgroups $S_6$ and $S_7$?

By knit product (alias: Zappa-Szép product), I mean a product $AB$ of subgroups for which $A\cap B=1$. In particular, note that neither subgroup is required to be normal, thus making this a ...
John McVey's user avatar
  • 1,068
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
11 votes
1 answer
289 views

Permutation groups having a regular cyclic subgroup and a conjectured algebra of characters

Let $G$ be a transitive permutation group of degree $d$ having a cyclic regular subgroup $K = \langle k \rangle \cong C_d$. Let $\pi(g) = |\mathrm{Fix}(g)|$ be the permutation character of $G$ and let ...
Mark Wildon's user avatar
  • 11.2k