Generating pairs for the sporadic group \(Ru\). (Q1432809)

A group \(G\) is said to be \((l,m,n)\)-generated if it can be generated by two elements \(x\) and \(y\) such that \(o(x)=l\), \(o(y)=m\) and \(o(xy)=n\). In this case \(G\) is a quotient of the triangle group \(T(l,m,n)=\langle x,y,z\mid x^l=y^m=z^n=xyz=1\rangle\) and for any permutation \(\pi\) of \(S_3\), the group \(G\) is also \(((l)\pi,(m)\pi,(n)\pi)\)-generated. Therefore we may assume that \(l\leq m\leq n\). \textit{M. D. E. Conder} [Bull. Aust. Math. Soc. 30, 73-90 (1984; Zbl 0546.20027)] showed that, if the non-Abelian simple group \(G\) is \((l,m,n)\)-generated, then either \(G\cong A_5\) or \(\tfrac 1l+\tfrac 1m+\tfrac 1n<1\). Hence for a non-Abelian finite simple group \(G\) and divisors \(l,m,n\) of the order of \(G\) such that \(\tfrac 1l+\tfrac 1m+\tfrac 1n<1\), it is natural to ask if \(G\) is an \((l,m,n)\)-generated group. In the paper under review, the authors investigate the \((p,q,r)\)-generations for the Rudvalis group \(Ru\), where \(p\), \(q\), and \(r\) distinct prime divisors of \(|Ru|\). In fact, the main result of this paper is the following Theorem 1.4: The Rudvalis group \(Ru\) is \((p,q,r)\)-generated if and only if \((p,q,r)\not=(2,3,5)\).