Random generation with cycle type restrictions
Algebraic Combinatorics, Volume 4 (2021) no. 1, pp. 1-25.

We study random generation in the symmetric group when cycle type restrictions are imposed. Given π,π S n , we prove that π and a random conjugate of π are likely to generate at least A n provided only that π and π have not too many fixed points and not too many 2-cycles. As an application, we investigate the following question: For which positive integers m should we expect two random elements of order m to generate A n ? Among other things, we give a positive answer for any m having any divisor d in the range 3do(n 1/2 ).

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DOI: 10.5802/alco.149
Classification: 20B30, 20P05
Keywords: symmetric group, random generation.
Eberhard, Sean 1; Garzoni, Daniele 2

1 Centre for Mathematical Sciences Wilberforce Road Cambridge CB3 0WB, U.K.
2 Dipartimento di Matematica “Tullio Levi–Civita” Università degli Studi di Padova Padova, Italy
License: CC-BY 4.0
Copyrights: The authors retain unrestricted copyrights and publishing rights
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Eberhard, Sean; Garzoni, Daniele. Random generation with cycle type restrictions. Algebraic Combinatorics, Volume 4 (2021) no. 1, pp. 1-25. doi : 10.5802/alco.149. https://alco.centre-mersenne.org/articles/10.5802/alco.149/

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