[Math] Product of disjoint cycles and product of transpositions

abstract-algebrapermutations

$\alpha=(3412)(245)\in S_5$ and I have to 1) write this as a product of disjoint cycles, 2) write this as a product of transpositions.

1) I can do thing by following where the elements go in the two permutations. I obtain $\alpha=(21)(453)$ this seems to be correct.

2) How do I write this as a product of transpostions? I have trouble seeing how this is possible, seeing that $\alpha$ has a three length cycle within it.

How do I do 2)?

Best Answer

Once a permutation is known as a product of disjoint (hence commuting) cycles, one can work in parallel and so it suffices to know how to write a cycle as a product of transpositions. To avoid a clutter of subscripts, I'll give an example:

$(7413625) = (75)(72)(76)(73)(71)(74)$

(In each of these transpositions 7 occurs, the other numbers accompanying 7 are taken in the reverse order to the given cycle)