Definition:Permutation on n Letters/Two-Row Notation
Definition
Let $\pi$ be a permutation on $n$ letters.
The two-row notation for $\pi$ is written as two rows of elements of $\N_n$, as follows:
- $\pi = \begin{pmatrix} 1 & 2 & 3 & \ldots & n \\ \map \pi 1 & \map \pi 2 & \map \pi 3 & \ldots & \map \pi n \end{pmatrix}$
The bottom row contains the effect of $\pi$ on the corresponding entries in the top row.
Also defined as
Some sources use two-row notation to define mappings which are not necessarily permutations. However, this is rarely done because of its general unwieldiness.
Also known as
Some sources refer to a presentation in two-row notation as a tableau.
Some sources use square brackets for the two-row notation:
- $\pi = \begin{bmatrix} 1 & 2 & 3 & \ldots & n \\ \map \pi 1 & \map \pi 2 & \map \pi 3 & \ldots & \map \pi n \end{bmatrix}$
Examples
Permutations in $S_3$
The permutations on the symmetric group on $3$ letters $S_3$ can be depicted in two-row notation as:
- $\begin{pmatrix} 1 & 2 & 3 \\ 1 & 2 & 3 \end{pmatrix} \qquad \begin{pmatrix} 1 & 2 & 3 \\ 1 & 3 & 2 \end{pmatrix} \qquad \begin{pmatrix} 1 & 2 & 3 \\ 2 & 1 & 3 \end{pmatrix}$
- $\begin{pmatrix} 1 & 2 & 3 \\ 2 & 3 & 1 \end{pmatrix} \qquad \begin{pmatrix} 1 & 2 & 3 \\ 3 & 1 & 2 \end{pmatrix} \qquad \begin{pmatrix} 1 & 2 & 3 \\ 3 & 2 & 1 \end{pmatrix}$
Permutation in $S_4$
The permutation on the symmetric group on $4$ letters $S_4$ defined as:
- $1 \mapsto 3, 2 \mapsto 2, 3 \mapsto 4, 4 \mapsto 1$
can be depicted in two-row notation as:
- $\begin{pmatrix} 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 \\ 3 & 2 & 4 & 1 \end{pmatrix}$
Also see
Technical Note
The $\LaTeX$ code for \(\begin{pmatrix} a & b & c & d \\ d & b & c & a \end{pmatrix}\) is \begin{pmatrix} a & b & c & d \\ d & b & c & a \end{pmatrix}
.
For a more compact presentation, the code:
\dbinom {a \ b \ c \ d} {d \ b \ c \ a}
can be used, which gives:
- $\dbinom {a \ b \ c \ d} {d \ b \ c \ a}$
However, this technique does not work well when the width of the fields is non-uniform:
- $\dbinom {m \ l \ l \ m} {m \ m \ l \ l}$
Sources
- 1951: Nathan Jacobson: Lectures in Abstract Algebra: Volume $\text { I }$: Basic Concepts ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $\text{I}$: Semi-Groups and Groups: $1$: Definition and examples of semigroups
- 1965: J.A. Green: Sets and Groups ... (previous) ... (next): $\S 3.2$. Equality of mappings
- 1966: Richard A. Dean: Elements of Abstract Algebra ... (previous) ... (next): $\S 1.6$
- 1968: Ian D. Macdonald: The Theory of Groups ... (previous) ... (next): Appendix: Elementary set and number theory
- 1971: Allan Clark: Elements of Abstract Algebra ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $2$: The Symmetric Groups: $\S 78$
- 1974: Thomas W. Hungerford: Algebra ... (previous) ... (next): $\text{I}$: Groups: $\S 1$: Semigroups, Monoids and Groups
- 1978: Thomas A. Whitelaw: An Introduction to Abstract Algebra ... (previous) ... (next): $\S 34$. Examples of groups: $(4) \ \text {(c)}$
- 1996: John F. Humphreys: A Course in Group Theory ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $9$: Permutations