Asymptotics of generating the symmetric and alternating groups. (Q2583656)

Summary: The probability that a random pair of elements from the alternating group \(A_n\) generates all of \(A_n\) is shown to have an asymptotic expansion of the form \(1-1/n-1/n^2-4/n^3-23/n^4-171/n^5-\cdots\). This same asymptotic expansion is valid for the probability that a random pair of elements from the symmetric group \(S_n\) generates either \(A_n\) or \(S_n\). Similar results hold for the case of \(r\) generators (\(r>2\)).