Related papers: Dixon's asymptotic without CFSG
We consider the probability $p(S_n)$ that a pair of random permutations generates either the alternating group $A_n$ or the symmetric group $S_n$. Dixon (1969) proved that $p(S_n)$ approaches $1$ as $n\to\infty$ and conjectured that…
Let $S(n)$ denote the least primary factor in the primary decomposition of the multiplicative group $M_n = (\Bbb Z/n\Bbb Z)^\times$. We give an asymptotic formula, with order of magnitude $x/(\log x)^{1/2}$, for the counting function of…
We show that for any $n\geq 2$, two elements selected uniformly at random from a \emph{symmetrized} Euclidean ball of radius $X$ in $\textrm{SL}_n(\mathbb Z)$ will generate a thin free group with probability tending to $1$ as $X\rightarrow…
In this paper, we prove that the symmetric group $\mathrm{S}_n$ has $2^{n^2/16+o(n^2)}$ subgroups, settling a conjecture of Pyber from 1993. We also derive asymptotically sharp upper and lower bounds on the number of subgroups of…
Let D denote the (n-1)-dimensional simplex. Let Y be a random 2-dimensional subcomplex of D obtained by starting with the full 1-skeleton of D and then adding each 2-simplex independently with probability p. For a fixed c>0 it is shown that…
We obtain an asymptotic expansion for $p(n)$, the number of partitions of a natural number $n$, starting from a formula that relates its generating function $f(t), t\in (0,1)$ with the characteristic functions of a family of sums of…
It is well known that every finite simple group can be generated by two elements and this leads to a wide range of problems that have been the focus of intensive research in recent years. In this survey article we discuss some of the…
We derive an asymptotic expansion for the distribution of a compound sum of independent random variables, all having the same light-tailed subexponential distribution. The examples of a Poisson and geometric number of summands serve as an…
Let A be a minor-closed class of labelled graphs, and let G_n be a random graph sampled uniformly from the set of n-vertex graphs of A. When n is large, what is the probability that G_n is connected? How many components does it have? How…
It is derived the explicit asymptotic expression in $n$ for the coefficient $c_n$ of the generating function for multiplicative structures with sub exponential rate of growth of $c_n,$ as $n\to\infty$.
We improve on recent estimates for the probability of generating the alternating and symmetric groups $\mathrm{Alt}(n)$ and $\mathrm{Sym}(n)$. In particular we find the sharp lower bound, if the probability is given by a quadratic in…
We consider a one-dimensional random walk $S_n$ having i.i.d. increments with zero mean and finite variance. We continue our study of asymptotic expansions for local probabilities $\mathbf P(S_n=x,\tau_0>n)$, which has been started in…
We show that small normal subsets $A$ of finite simple groups expand very rapidly -- namely, $|A^2| \ge |A|^{2-\epsilon}$, where $\epsilon >0$ is arbitrarily small.
We compute the asymptotic probability that a random pair of Sylow 2-subgroups in $S_n$ or $A_n$ intersects trivially. This calculation complements recent work of Diaconis, Giannelli, Guralnick, Law, Navarro, Sambale, and Spink (see…
For every positive integer $n$ and for every $\alpha \in [0, 1]$, let $\mathcal{B}(n, \alpha)$ denote the probabilistic model in which a random set $\mathcal{A} \subseteq \{1, \dots, n\}$ is constructed by picking independently each element…
Asymptotics deviation probabilities of the sum S n = X 1 + $\times$ $\times$ $\times$ + X n of independent and identically distributed real-valued random variables have been extensively investigated , in particular when X 1 is not…
Dixon's famous theorem states that the group generated by two random permutations of a finite set is generically either the whole symmetric group or the alternating group. In the context of random generation of finite groups this means that…
Asymptotics deviation probabilities of the sum S n = X 1 + $\times$ $\times$ $\times$ + X n of independent and identically distributed real-valued random variables have been extensively investigated, in particular when X 1 is not…
We prove that if G is a sufficiently large finite almost simple group of Lie type, then given a fixed nontrivial element x in G and a coset of G modulo its socle, the probability that x and a random element of the coset generate a subgroup…
Let $G$ be a finite simple group. In this paper we consider the existence of small subsets $A$ of $G$ with the property that, if $y \in G$ is chosen uniformly at random, then with high probability $y$ invariably generates $G$ together with…