Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2014 / ia / Paper 3 / 5D / i

Conjugation in the symmetric group sends $(12)$ to $(\sigma (1)\sigma (2))$. Hence $\sigma$ commutes with $g$ exactly when it preserves the unordered pair $\{1,2\}$. It can independently swap that pair and arbitrarily permute the remaining points. Therefore the centraliser of a transposition isLet $m=n/2$. The orbits of a group action generated by $h$ are its $m$ two-point blocks. Any centraliser element must permute those blocks, and can choose independently whether to swap the two points in each image block. Conversely every such choice commutes with $h$, since it preserves the partner relation. This centraliser of a fixed-point-free involution is the permutation wreath product $C_2\wr S_m$, with