Counting permutations $\sigma \in S_n$ such that $\sigma$ is a product of $k$ disjoint cycles of length $r$.

combinatoricsgroup-theorypermutations

Problem: If $kr \leq n$, with $1<r\leq n$, then the number of permutations that are products of $k$ disjoint cycles of length $r$ is
$$\frac{1}{k!}\frac{1}{r^k}[ n(n-1)\cdots(n-(kr-1)]$$

I already found that the number of $r$-cycles in $S_n$ is
$$A=\frac{1}{r}[n(n-1)\cdots(n-(r-1)]$$

I can't seem to find a way to get the result. I think I understand what I need to do, but I don't know how to do the counting.

Given the set $C_r$ of all $r$-cycles, $|C_r|=A$, I choose one of them, say $\sigma_1$, for which I have $A$ choices. Once I make a choice, I need to remove all the $r$-cycles in $C_r$ that are not disjoint with $\sigma_1=(i_1\cdots i_r)$

How many of those are there? How do I count them? I need to remove all the cycles where any of the $i_j$ occur, but I don't know how to do that.

Once I do that, I can choose one of those, say $\sigma_2$, and repeat the same thing , until I have chosen $k$.

Any help would be appreciated

Best Answer

Imagine $k$ subsequences of length $r$ representing the disjoint cycles which you fill up one element at a time with elements of the set $S_n$ acts on. There are $n(n-1)\cdots(n-kr+1)$ ways to do so. The division by $k!$ is because the subsequences may be permuted among themselves; the division by $r^k$ is because cyclic rotations do not change a cycle.