The largest size of a minimal generating set of a finite group. (Q359620)

A generating set \(X\) of a finite group \(G\) is said to be minimal if no proper subset of \(X\) generates \(G\). Denote by \(m(G)\), resp.\ \(d(G)\), the largest, resp.\ smallest, size of minimal generating sets of \(G\). While the invariant \(d(G)\) has been studied for many groups \(G\), its counterpart \(m(G)\) has not received a similar degree of attention. Recently, \textit{P. Apisa} and \textit{B. Klopsch} [J. Algebra 400, 8-16 (2014; Zbl 1307.20028)] proposed studying the parameter \(m(G)-d(G)\) and characterised all finite groups \(G\) with \(m(G)-d(G)=0\). For finite soluble groups, a formula of \textit{W. Gaschütz} [Ill. J. Math. 3, 469-476 (1959; Zbl 0093.25002)] allows one to compute \(d(G)\) in terms of structural information on the chief factors of \(G\). A generalisation, developed by \textit{E. Detomi} and \textit{A. Lucchini} [J. Algebra 265, No. 2, 651-668 (2003; Zbl 1072.20031)], yields a more involved, but useful description of \(d(G)\) for arbitrary finite groups \(G\). In the paper under review, the author applies similar ideas to obtain an expression for \(m(G)\), again in terms of structural information on the chief factors of \(G\). For finite soluble groups \(G\), this formula can be evaluated and simplifies to: \(m(G)\) equals the number of non-Frattini factors in any chief series of \(G\) (Theorem 2); here a chief factor \(M/N\) of \(G\) is said to be non-Frattini if \(M/N\) is not contained in the Frattini subgroup of \(G/N\), in which case \(M/N\) can be complemented in \(G/N\) by a maximal subgroup. As a corollary, one obtains that, if \(G\) is a finite soluble group, then \(m(G)-d(G)\geq|\pi(G)|-2\), where \(\pi(G)\) is the set of prime divisors of \(|G|\).