Generation and random generation: from simple groups to maximal subgroups. (Q2437517)

Let \(G\) be a finite group and let \(d(G)\) be the minimal number of generators for \(G\). The authors prove that \(d(H)\leq 4\) for any maximal subgroup \(H\) of a finite simple group and notice that this bound is best possible. More in general if \(G\) is an almost simple group, than \(d(H\cap\text{soc}(G))\leq 4\) and \(d(H)\leq 6\) for any maximal subgroup \(H\) of \(G\). The authors also investigate the random generation of maximal subgroups of simple and almost simple groups: there exists an absolute constant \(c\) such that, for any maximal subgroup \(H\) of an almost simple group \(G\), \(c\) randomly chosen elements of \(H\) generate \(H\) with probability at least \(1/c\). Finally these results are applied to the study of permutation groups. In particular it is proved that if \(G\) is a finite primitive permutation group with point stabilizer \(H\), then \(d(G)-1\leq d(H)\leq d(G)+4\).