arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to William R. Unger.
We show that almost all permutations have some power that is a cycle of prime length. The proof includes a theorem giving a strong upper bound on the proportion of elements of the symmetric group having no cycles with length in a given set.
We give a 1-sided randomised algorithm to detect when a permutation group of degree n, given by generators, contains the alternating group of degree n. This improves on standard methods, and on an algorithm of P. Cameron and J. Cannon.
We describe an algorithm for computing Schur indices of irreducible characters of a finite group $G$, based on computations within $G$ and its subgroups and with their character tables. The algorithm has been implemented within \Magma\ and examples of its use are given. We also compare the output of the algorithm on groups associated with sporadic simple groups with the results of W. Feit. The differences are considered.