The probability of generating a finite soluble group.

DOI10.1112/S0024611500012569MaRDI QIDQ2766371zbMATH OpenFDO

Authors John S. Wilson, Robert Guralnick

Publication date 28 January 2002

Published in Proceedings of the London Mathematical Society. Third Series (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://doi.org/10.1112/S0024611500012569

zbMATH Keywords

2-generator subgroupsfinite nilpotent groupsfinite soluble groupsgroups of odd order

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Finite solvable groups, theory of formations, Schunck classes, Fitting classes, (pi)-length, ranks (20D10) Finite nilpotent groups, (p)-groups (20D15) Generators, relations, and presentations of groups (20F05) Probabilistic methods in group theory (20P05) Combinatorial probability (60C05)

Review text

\textit{J. D. Dixon} [Math. Z. 110, 199-205 (1969; Zbl 0176.29901)] conjectured that if two elements are randomly chosen from a finite simple group \(G\), they will generate \(G\) with probability \(\to 1\) as \(|G|\to\infty\). Dixon [loc. cit.] proved this if \(G\) is an alternating group. \textit{W. M. Kantor} and \textit{A. Lubotzky} [Geom. Dedicata 36, No. 1, 67-87 (1990; Zbl 0718.20011)] proved Dixon's conjecture for classical groups and certain exceptional groups. \textit{W. M. Liebeck} and \textit{A. Shalev} [Geom. Dedicata 56, No. 1, 103-113 (1995; Zbl 0836.20068)] settled the remaining exceptional groups.NEWLINENEWLINE It is well known that a finite group is soluble if each of its 2-generator subgroups is soluble. In the paper under review the authors prove the following probabilistic version of this result. Theorem A: Let \(G\) be a finite group. (a) If the probability that two randomly chosen elements of \(G\) generate a soluble group is greater than \(11/30\), then \(G\) is soluble. (b) If the probability that two randomly chosen elements of \(G\) generate a nilpotent group is greater than \(1/2\), then \(G\) is nilpotent. (c) If the probability that two randomly chosen elements of \(G\) generate a group of odd order is greater than \(11/30\), then \(G\) has odd order.NEWLINENEWLINE By means of the proof of Dixon's conjecture the authors obtain the following Theorem B: There exists a real number \(\kappa\) strictly between \(0\) and \(1\) with the following property. Let \(\mathfrak X\) be any class of finite groups which is closed for subgroups, quotient groups and extensions, and let \(G\) be a finite group. If the probability that two randomly chosen elements of \(G\) generate a group in \(\mathfrak X\) is greater than \(\kappa\), then \(G\) is in \(\mathfrak X\). The proofs use not only the classification theorem, but also some of the detailed information which is now available concerning the maximal subgroups of finite almost simple groups.

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Cited in

(36)

• Probabilistic generation of finite simple groups
• The exponent of finite groups
• Invariable generation of finite classical groups
• Non-solvable graphs of groups
• Subnormalizers and solvability in finite groups
• On the nilpotent probability and supersolvability of finite groups
• On the probability of generating prosoluble groups.
• On the commuting probability in finite groups.
• Recognizing \(\mathrm{PSL}(2,p)\) in the non-Frattini chief factors of finite groups.
• On the probability of generating nilpotent subgroups in a finite group.
• Characterization of solvable groups and solvable radical.
• Probability and bias in generating supersoluble groups
• RANDOM (r, s)-GENERATION OF FINITE CLASSICAL GROUPS
• On the Random Generation of Finite Simple Classical Groups
• The probability of randomly generating finite Abelian groups.
• Criteria for solvable radical membership via p-elements.
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 1754664 (Why is no real title available?)
• Probabilistic Generation of Wreath Products of Non-abelian Finite Simple Groups
• A remark on two solvability criteria of Thompson.
• Subnormalizers and the degree of nilpotence in finite groups
• Applying the Kövári-Sós-Turán theorem to a question in group theory
• A probabilistic version of a theorem of László Kovács and Hyo-Seob Sim
• Solvable graphs of finite groups
• Testing commutativity of a group and the power of randomization.
• The probability of generating a soluble subgroup of a finite group
• On the base size of a transitive group with solvable point stabilizer.
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 7742614 (Why is no real title available?)
• The probability of generating a group
• On the common transversal probability
• How associative can a non-associative Moufang loop be?
• The first two group theory papers of Philip Hall
• The nilpotent probability of finite groups
• Probabilistic identities in n-torsion groups
• Variations on the Thompson theorem
• Characterization of solubilizers of elements in minimal simple groups
• A continuum of nonisomorphic 3-generator groups with probabilistic law x^n=1

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