Paper 3, Section I, D

Algebra and Geometry
Part IA, 2007

Prove that every permutation of {1,,n}\{1, \ldots, n\} may be expressed as a product of disjoint cycles.

Let σ=(1234)\sigma=(1234) and let τ=(345)(678)\tau=(345)(678). Write στ\sigma \tau as a product of disjoint cycles. What is the order of στ?\sigma \tau ?