On the number of generators of groups acting arc-transitively on graphs

Abstract

Given a finite connected graph ${\Gamma}$ and a group $G$ acting transitively on the vertices of ${\Gamma}$, we prove that the number of vertices of ${\Gamma}$ and the cardinality of $G$ are bounded above by a function depending only on the cardinality of ${\Gamma}$ and on the exponent of $G$. We also prove that the number of generators of a group $G$ acting transitively on the arcs of a finite graph ${\Gamma}$ cannot be bounded by a function of the valency alone.