Abstract
Let G be the alternating group \({{\,\mathrm{Alt}\,}}(n)\) on n letters. We prove that for any \(\varepsilon > 0\), there exists \(N = N(\varepsilon ) \in \mathbb {N}\) such that whenever \(n \ge N\) and A, B, C, D are normal subsets of G each of size at least \(|G|^{1/2+\varepsilon }\), then \(ABCD = G\).
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arad, Z., Herzog, M., Stavi, J.: Powers and products of conjugacy classes in groups. In: Products of Conjugacy Classes in Groups, 6–51, Lecture Notes in Mathematics, 1112, Springer, Berlin (1985)
Brenner, J.L.: Covering theorems for finasigs. VIII. Almost all conjugacy classes in \(A_n\) have exponent \(\le 4\). J. Austral. Math. Soc. Ser. A 25, 210–214 (1978)
Dvir, Y.: Covering properties of permutation groups. In: Products of Conjugacy Classes in Groups, 197–221, Lecture Notes in Mathematics, 1112, Springer, Berlin (1985)
James, G., Kerber, A.: The Representation Theory of the Symmetric Group. Encyclopedia of Mathematics and its Applications, 16. Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., Reading, MA (1981)
Larsen, M., Shalev, A.: Characters of symmetric groups: sharp bounds and applications. Invent. Math. 174(3), 645–687 (2008)
Larsen, M., Shalev, A., Tiep, P.H.: Products of normal subsets and derangements. arXiv:2003.12882 (2020)
Maróti, A., Pyber, L.: A generalization of the diameter bound of Liebeck and Shalev for finite simple groups. arXiv:2003.14270 (2020)
Rodgers, D.M.: Generating and covering the alternating or symmetric group. Comm. Algebra 30(1), 425–435 (2002)
Vishne, U.: Mixing and covering in the symmetric groups. J. Algebra 205, 119–140 (1998)
Acknowledgements
The first author acknowledges the support of Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa do Distrito Federal (FAPDF) - demanda espontânea 03/2016, and of Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) - Grant numbers 302134/2018-2, 422202/2018-5. The work of the second author on the project leading to this application has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement no. 741420). He was also supported by the National Research, Development and Innovation Office (NKFIH) Grant no. K115799, Grant no. K132951, and Grant no. K135103
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Garonzi, M., Maróti, A. Alternating groups as products of four conjugacy classes. Arch. Math. 116, 121–130 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00013-020-01531-7
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00013-020-01531-7