 Generator bound from a cyclic-factor series

If a group has a cyclic-factor subnormal series of length $n$, choose one lift of a generator of each nontrivial factor. Induction gives $G_i=⟨G_{i-1},g_i⟩$, so the chosen lifts generate $G$. Thus at most $n$ generators are needed. Applying this to the intersection chain in subgroups of polycyclic groups are polycyclic bounds the number of generators of every subgroup by the same series length.