English

On the proportion of derangements in affine classical groups

Combinatorics 2026-05-06 v2 Group Theory

Abstract

We derive exact formulas for the proportions of derangements and of derangements of pp-power order in the affine classical groups AUm(q)AU_m(q), ASp2m(q)ASp_{2m}(q), AO2m+1(q)AO_{2m+1}(q) and AO2m±(q)AO^{\pm}_{2m}(q), where pp denotes the characteristic of the defining finite field. In the unitary case, the formulas rely on a result on partitions of independent interest: we obtain a generating function for integer partitions λ=(λ1,,λm)\lambda=(\lambda_1, \dots, \lambda_m) into mm parts, with λ1λm\lambda_1\ge \dots \ge \lambda_m, such that either λ1=1\lambda_1=1 or λk1>λk=k\lambda_{k-1}>\lambda_k=k for some k{2,,m}k \in \{2, \dots,m\}. In the symplectic and orthogonal cases, the proofs of the formulas reduce to verifying three qq-polynomial identities conjectured by the author and later proved by Fulman and Stanton.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2508.07093,
  title  = {On the proportion of derangements in affine classical groups},
  author = {Jessica Anzanello},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2508.07093},
  year   = {2026}
}

Comments

Revised version. All previous conjectures are now stated as theorems, following Fulman and Stanton's proof of the three q-polynomial identities conjectured in the first version of this paper (see arXiv:2510.16277). This version also treats the even characteristic case for affine symplectic and orthogonal groups