# K-Cycle can be Factored into Transpositions

## Theorem

Every $k$-cycle can be factorised into the product of $k - 1$ transpositions.

This factorisation is not unique.

## Proof

The cycle $\begin{pmatrix} 1 & 2 & \ldots & k \end{pmatrix}$ has the factorisation:

$\begin{pmatrix} 1 & 2 & \ldots & k \end{pmatrix} = \begin{pmatrix} 1 & k \end{pmatrix} \ldots \begin{pmatrix} 1 & 3 \end{pmatrix} \begin{pmatrix} 1 & 2 \end{pmatrix}$

Therefore, the general $k$-cycle $\begin{pmatrix} i_1 & i_2 & \ldots & i_k \end{pmatrix}$ has the factorisation:

$\begin{pmatrix} i_1 & i_2 & \ldots & i_k \end{pmatrix} = \begin{pmatrix} i_1 & i_k \end{pmatrix} \ldots \begin{pmatrix} i_1 & i_3 \end{pmatrix} \begin{pmatrix} i_1 & i_2 \end{pmatrix}$

The cycle $\begin{pmatrix} 1 & 2 & \ldots & k \end{pmatrix}$ also has the factorisation:

$\begin{pmatrix} 1 & 2 & \ldots & k \end{pmatrix} = \begin{pmatrix} 1 & 2 \end{pmatrix} \begin{pmatrix} 2 & 3 \end{pmatrix} \ldots \begin{pmatrix} k - 1 & k \end{pmatrix}$

Therefore, the general $k$-cycle $\begin{pmatrix} i_1 & i_2 & \ldots & i_k \end{pmatrix}$ also has the factorisation:

$\begin{pmatrix} i_1 & i_2 & \ldots & i_k \end{pmatrix} = \begin{pmatrix} i_1 & i_2 \end{pmatrix} \begin{pmatrix} i_2 & i_3 \end{pmatrix} \ldots \begin{pmatrix} i_{k - 1} & i_k \end{pmatrix}$

$\blacksquare$