Permutation groups generated by a transposition and another element (Q1198795)

The subgroup \(H = \langle \tau,\sigma\rangle\) of the symmetric group \(\text{Sym}(n)\) generated by a transposition \(\tau\) and another element \(\sigma\) is described explicitly in terms of a graph with vertex set \(\{1,\dots,n\}\) whose edges are the supports of all \(H\)-conjugates of \(\tau\). Application is made to prove that a rational irreducible polynomial of degree \(n\) having exactly \(n-2\) real roots is not solvable by radicals provided that \(n\) is not divisible by 2 or 3.