Transitive and intransitive subgroups of permutation groups (Q6988511)

The paper contains two theorems.\NFirst, let \(n\) be an integer that has a prime factor \(p\) such that \(p\) divides \(\varphi(n)\). Then there is a transitive permutation group \(G\) of degree \(n\) that contains a normal transitive subgroup \(N_1\) of index \(p\) and a normal intransitive subgroup \(N_2\) of index \(p\). \N\NThe second theorem may be viewed as a partial converse to the first theorem. Let \(p\) and \(q\) be primes such that \(p < q\) and \(p\) does not divide \(q-1\). Then there is no permutation group \(G\) of degree \(pq\) with the property that \(G\) contains a transitive normal subgroup \(N_1\) and an intransitive normal subgroup \(N_2\) such that \(G/N_1 \cong G/N_2\).\N\NThe proof of the first theorem is short. The constructed group \(G\) has order \(np\).\N\NThe proof of the second theorem is more involved. We mention two ingredients. Let \(A\) be a transitive simple subgroup of \(S_q\) for \(q\) a prime. \textit{H. Wielandt} [in: Proc. Int. Conf. Theory Groups, Canberra 1965, 389--393 (1967; Zbl 0166.28605)] showed that \(N_{S_q}(A)/A\) is cyclic of order dividing \(q-1\). The second result that is used is a theorem by \textit{W. Burnside} [Theory of groups of finite order. 2nd ed. New York: Dover Publications, Inc (1955; Zbl 0064.25105)]: \N\NLet \(A\) be a transitive subgroup of \(S_q\) for \(q\) a prime. Then either \(A\) is a subgroup of the group \(A_{1}(q)\) of affine linear transformations of the finite field of order \(q\) or \(A\) is doubly transitive and contains a normal subgroup that is non-abelian and simple.