Covering groups of the alternating and symmetric groups

Covering groups of the alternating group \( A_n \) and the symmetric group \( S_n \) are associated with the study of these groups in the context of their representations and the understanding of their structure. ### Symmetric Groups The symmetric group \( S_n \) consists of all permutations of \( n \) elements and has a very rich structure. Its covering groups can often be related to central extensions of the group.