[GAP Forum] Computational problem in symmetric group using GAP

[Alexander Hulpke]

Dear Gap-Forum,

Dan Rossul wrote:

> How can i express a given element in a symmetric group as a product of
> certain fixed elements in the same symmetric group, if possible by using
> GAP? Examples of real implementations are mostly welcomed!

This is covered, including examples, in the manual section
"Expressing Group Elements as Words in Generators"
(you can get this section  from within GAP by typing
?expressing

Note that there is a big difference between `Factorization' (guaranteed
shotest word, very memory intensive) and the use of homomorphisms (much
easier on memory but not guaranteed shortest word).

Best wishes,

    Alexander Hulpke

-- Colorado State University, Department of Mathematics,
Weber Building, 1874 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1874, USA
email: hulpke at math.colostate.edu, Phone: ++1-970-4914288
http://www.math.colostate.edu/~hulpke