Generators of order two for \(S_n\) and its two double covers (Q1972383)

Let \(\widetilde S_n\) and \(\widehat S_n\) denote the two nonisomorphic double covers of the symmetric group \(S_n\), the notation being chosen such that in \(\widetilde S_n\) a transposition of \(S_n\) lifts to an element of order \(4\). For a finite group \(G\) generated by involutions let \(i(G)\) denote the minimum number of involutions required to generate \(G\). In this paper the numbers \(i(\widetilde S_n)\) and \(i(\widehat S_n)\) are determined and lists of generating involutions are given explicitly. E.g. it is proved that \(i(\widetilde S_n)=3\) if \(n\geq 7\) and \(n\neq 13\) and that \(i(\widehat S_n)=3\) if \(n=4\) or \(n\geq 9\).