Permutation representations of nonsplit extensions involving alternating groups (Q1717602)

Let \(P(G)\) denote the minimal degree of a faithful permutation representation of a finite group \(G\), and let \(1 \rightarrow M \rightarrow H \rightarrow A_k \rightarrow 1\) be a nonsplit extension of finite groups where \(A_k\) denotes the alternating group of degree \(k\). The main result of the paper shows that \(P(H) \ge k(k-1)\) for \(k > 20\). This improves a result by \textit{L. Babai} [``On the degrees of non-split extensions by an alternating group'', Preprint]. The authors also show that \(P(H) \ge k(k-1)(k-2)\) whenever \(k > 22\) and \(\gcd(2k,|M|) = 1\). Now let \(k \ge 10\). Then, for every odd prime \(p\) dividing \(k\), the authors construct a nonsplit extension \(H\) as above where \(M\) is an elementary abelian \(p\)-group and \(P(H) \le \frac{1}{2}pk(k-1)\). They also construct another nonsplit extension \(H\) as above where \(M\) is an elementary abelian \(2\)-group and \(P(H) \le 2k(k-1)\). This answers a question of Babai [loc. cit.].