WORKED DEFAULT
Check the calculation with the default inputs
For n = 8, the fixed-or-paired recurrence returns a(8) = 764 self-inverse permutations.
- Choose newest roleFixed or paired
- Apply recurrencea(n-1)+(n-1)a(n-2)
- Read counta(8)=764
COMBINATORICS / SELF-INVERSE PERMUTATIONS
Count permutations of n labelled elements that equal their own inverse, using only fixed points and transpositions.
METHOD / WORKED EXAMPLE
Count permutations of n labelled elements that equal their own inverse, using only fixed points and transpositions. The result panel keeps the defining recurrence or counting identity visible so the output can be checked independently.
WORKED DEFAULT
For n = 8, the fixed-or-paired recurrence returns a(8) = 764 self-inverse permutations.
READ THE RESULT
An involution may contain fixed points; it is not the same set as derangements or unrestricted permutations.
ASSUMPTIONS AND LIMITS
n is capped at 20 to keep factorial-like counting exact and browser work predictable.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Use a(0) = a(1) = 1 and split on whether the newest element is fixed or paired with one of n-1 others, giving a(n)=a(n-1)+(n-1)a(n-2). The recurrence accounts for both permitted cycle lengths without enumerating permutations. Inputs must be whole numbers inside the displayed domain; the page never rounds a decimal into an accepted index. This ties the answer to one explicit convention instead of silently mixing sequence offsets or combinatorial interpretations.
An involution may contain fixed points; it is not the same set as derangements or unrestricted permutations. Use the previous two values and multiply the pairing branch by n minus one. Recompute the displayed recurrence or closed form with the same inputs and compare its previous terms or counting factors. That check supports this bounded result, but it does not transfer the interpretation to a different sequence or counting object.
n is capped at 20 to keep factorial-like counting exact and browser work predictable. Involution counts eventually grow quickly despite the compact recurrence. Combinatorial and recurrence values can grow rapidly even when the inputs look small. The conservative cap prevents browser stalls and avoids presenting an unsafe floating-point integer as exact; larger work needs arbitrary-precision software and independent resource controls.
RELATED TOOLS
Use boundary
Use a(0) = a(1) = 1 and split on whether the newest element is fixed or paired with one of n-1 others, giving a(n)=a(n-1)+(n-1)a(n-2).
a(n)=a(n-1)+(n-1)a(n-2).