Questions tagged [permutation-groups]
For groups represented as permutations. Group transitivity, rank 3 groups, orbits and suborbits, stablizers, permutation characters, primitivity are all on-topic.
150
questions
0
votes
0answers
38 views
Labeling points of grid $\mathbb N^k$ by subsets according to some permutation group, “global” upper bound for the sets that could appear
Let $G \le S_n$ be a finite permutation group with generators $g_1, \ldots, g_k$. We look at the action of $G$ on subsets
with $A^g = \{ \alpha^g : \alpha \in A \}$ for $A \subseteq \Omega$
and $g \...
1
vote
2answers
142 views
Is there a 2 transitive finite group with transitive normal subgroup having a cyclic quotient other than $A_n$ and $S_n$?
Let $G \leq S_n$ be $2$-transitive other than $A_n$ and $S_n$. Is it possible that there exists $N\lhd G$ with $N\neq G$, $N$ transitive and $G/N$ cyclic?
I am interested mostly in the answer when $...
12
votes
0answers
264 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 $W = V\wedge V$
(...
11
votes
1answer
228 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 ...
7
votes
1answer
145 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,...
0
votes
0answers
116 views
Is there exists a lattice isomorphism?
Let $\text{P}$ be the set of partitions of {1,2,...,n} and $\text{Y}$ the set of Young subsets of permutation group S(n)(the coxeter group of type An).
As is well-known, the set $\text{Y}$ is a ...
7
votes
1answer
293 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,...
2
votes
1answer
110 views
Non-commutative projective lines
There have been many approaches to the notion of projective line:
combinatorial approaches (e.g. as certain permutation groups, such as $\mathrm{PGL}_2(k)$ in its natural action on $\mathbb{P}^1(k)$, ...
20
votes
1answer
496 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 ...
5
votes
2answers
189 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 ...
6
votes
1answer
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 $486$ ...
4
votes
1answer
313 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 $\omega$?
8
votes
1answer
253 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 ...
3
votes
1answer
137 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 $S_n,$ ...
0
votes
2answers
173 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 $10$...
0
votes
1answer
69 views
Can the permutation group of a matrix be generated by the subset of row permutation and column permutation?
Consider a 3*3 matrix
$\left( \begin{array}{*{20}{c}}
{{m_{11}}}&{{m_{12}}}&{{m_{13}}}\\
{{m_{21}}}&{{m_{22}}}&{{m_{23}}}\\
{{m_{31}}}&{{m_{32}}}&{{m_{33}}}
\end{array} \right)...
4
votes
1answer
124 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 ...
4
votes
1answer
80 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 ...
22
votes
2answers
774 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 ...
8
votes
0answers
125 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 $n$ ...
11
votes
1answer
232 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
...
5
votes
1answer
312 views
Number of permutations that are products of disjoint cycles of distinct length
What is the number of permutations $\pi\in S_n$ that are products of disjoint cycles of distinct length? What is the number of permutations that are products of disjoint cycles such that no more than $...
1
vote
0answers
86 views
What is an upper limit of relative size of conjugacy class of the transitive finite group?
What is
$$ \limsup_{n\to\infty} \sup_{\deg(G)=n} \left( \frac{\max_{x\in G} \left|\operatorname{conj}(x)\right|}{\operatorname{ord}(G)}\right),$$
$G$ transitive permutation group?
And what are the ...
6
votes
1answer
131 views
Enlarging a subdegree-finite “almost transitive” permutation group to a transitive one? (follow-up)
Consider a permutation group $G$ acting on an infinite set $X$. Assume $G$ has finitely many orbits, and every point stabiliser $G_x$ has finite orbits.
Can we always find a permutation $\tau\in\...
3
votes
1answer
100 views
Enlarging a subdegree-finite “almost transitive” permutation group to a transitive one?
Consider a permutation group $G$ acting on an infinite set $X$. Assume $G$ has finitely many orbits, and every point stabiliser $G_x$ has finite orbits. Now consider a permutation $\tau\in\...
13
votes
0answers
309 views
Escaping from a centralizer
Let $G = Sym(n)$, $n$ even. Let $H<G$ be the stabilizer of the partition $\{\{1,2\},\{3,4\},\dotsc,\{n-1,n\}\}$, or, what is the same, the centralizer of $(1\;2) \dotsc (n-1\; n)$.
By Stirling's ...
1
vote
1answer
248 views
A permutation with reflection property
Consider permutations $\pi$ of the set $\{1,\dots,n\}$ having the symmetry property $\pi \pi^* \pi = \pi^*$, where $\pi^*$ is the "reflection" $k \mapsto n+1-k$. Are there references or other ...
8
votes
1answer
185 views
Is $\beta\mathbb N$ a unique compactification with the smallest possible permutation group?
For a compactification $c\mathbb N$ of $\mathbb N$ let $\mathcal H(c\mathbb N,\mathbb N)$ be the group of homeomorphisms $h:c\mathbb N\to c\mathbb N$ such that $h(x)=x$ for all $x\in c\mathbb N\...
7
votes
1answer
449 views
Linear permutations commuting with $x\rightarrow x^{-1}$
Let $F = \operatorname{GF}(2^n)$ be a finite field. Define a permutation $\phi:F \rightarrow F$ by the formula
$$
\phi(x) = x^{-1}, \ x\neq 0; \ \phi(0) =0.
$$
We say that a permutations $\psi$ of $F$ ...
10
votes
1answer
172 views
sum of character product over derangements
It is widely known that
$$ \frac{1}{n!}\sum_{\pi\in S_n}\chi_\lambda(\pi)\chi_\mu(\pi)=\delta_{\lambda,\mu},$$
where $S_n$ is the permutation group and $\chi$ are its irreducible characters.
In ...
3
votes
2answers
198 views
Length of composition series in a primitive group
Let $G$ be a primitive group acting on a set $\Omega$ with $n$ elements. By Cameron/Liebeck (essentially a consequence of the Classification + O'Nan-Scott), there are two possibilities:
(a) $G$ has a ...
0
votes
1answer
62 views
Sequence Generation with Combinations and Permutations
I am trying to generate a set of genetic sequences with conditions. The problem uses a base 4 numerical notation:
nucleotides = ['A','C','G','T']
From this, I'd ...
2
votes
0answers
73 views
First appearance of “structure tree”?
Let $G$ be a transitive permutation group acting on a set $\Omega$. A structure tree $T$ for $(G,\Omega)$ is defined as follows: if $G$ is primitive, then it consists of a root node connected by edges ...
4
votes
1answer
238 views
Time Complexity of the Word Problem for Finite Permutation Groups
Given a finite permutation group, i.e. a subgroup of the symmetric group on $n$ symbols in terms of generators, what is the complexity of the word problem? That is, computing if two words in the ...
1
vote
1answer
73 views
Complexity to decide for permutation group if every element fixed at most $k$ points
I want to consider the following problem, which generalises the decision problem to decide if a given finite permutation group is a Frobenius group:
Given a finite permutation group in terms of its ...
1
vote
2answers
136 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 ...
19
votes
3answers
748 views
What did Frobenius prove about $M_{12}$?
I am interested in this paper which I can't read because it's in German:
Frobenius, G., Über die Charaktere der mehrfach transitiven Gruppen., Berl. Ber. 1904, 558-571 (1904). ZBL35.0154.02.
A free ...
2
votes
0answers
52 views
What are the transitive extensions of finite representations of cyclic groups?
This question is a generalisation of this one. Let $H$ be a finite, transitive permutation group of degree $n$. If the point stabiliser subgroup $H_n$ of degree $n-1$ is some faithful permutation ...
14
votes
1answer
496 views
The number of involutions in a permutation group
If $G$ is a group let $I(G)$ be the number of involutions (elements of order 2) in $G$. My question is then easily stated: does there exists a constant $C > 1$ such that for every $n \ge 1$ and ...
1
vote
0answers
138 views
A question about permutation matrices
This question is trying to abstract out in a self-contained way the point that is probably being made in page 6 of this paper, https://arxiv.org/pdf/1604.03544.pdf and why Theorem 4.1 there works.
...
11
votes
2answers
816 views
How do I know if an irreducible representation is a permutation representation?
I have a vague question, a less vague question and a lot of vaguer questions about permutation representations of a finite group $G$.
Vague question. Recall that if $G$ acts on a finite set $X$, we ...
1
vote
0answers
193 views
Counting elements having a given cycle structure in maximal subgroups of a generalized symmetric group
Let $G$ be the wreath product $C_7\wr S_{18}$, where $C_7$ is the cyclic group of order 7 and $S_{18}$ is the symmetric group on 18 symbols. Consider $G$ to be embedded in the group $S_{126}=S_{7\cdot ...
8
votes
0answers
156 views
Connection between Gauss's lemma and Zolotarev's lemma
So I was reflecting on the relationship between Gauss's Lemma and Zolotarev's Lemma in proofs of quadratic reciprocity:
GL: $(a/p) = -1^n$, where $n$ is the number of least positive residues of $ax$ ...
1
vote
0answers
101 views
graphs with semiregular automorphisms
I need some "well-known" non-regular finite graphs (at least two vertices have different valency) whose automorphism groups contain a non-trivial subgroup that acts on the vertices semi-regularly (i....
1
vote
1answer
203 views
Automorphism group of a graph
Suppose $\Gamma$ is a simple graph and $G=\mathrm{Aut}(\Gamma)$ is the automorphism group of $\Gamma$. If $G$ stabilizes a subgraph $\Gamma_1$,, and $G_0$ is the point-wise stabiliser of the set $V(\...
7
votes
2answers
369 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 ...
12
votes
1answer
513 views
Outer automorphism action on representations of $S_6$
Let $S_6$ be the symmetric group on 6 letters and let $\alpha \colon S_6 \to S_6$ be an outer automorphism (note that $S_6$ is the only permutation group that has an outer automorphism and that $\...
13
votes
1answer
452 views
Tensor power of the natural representation of Sn
The symmetric group $S_n$ acts over $V=\mathbb{R}^n$ by permuting the canonical basis.
So it acts over $V^{\otimes p}$ with a diagonal action (acts the same over each element of the tensor product).
...
1
vote
0answers
96 views
What is the meaning of a linked group action?
Some definitions and Notations
Group Action see this link.
$G$-invariant partition $B_i$ means $\forall \sigma \in G, B_i^{\sigma} = B_i$.
Minimal block system see page no - 30
Let $V$ be a $k$-...
0
votes
1answer
189 views
number of orbits of a proper subgroup
Let $G$ be a permutation group that acts on (say) $X=\{1,2,..,n\}$, and $H$ be a proper subgroup of $G$. Can one say anything precise about when the number of orbits of $H$ on $X$ will be equal to ...
