Sets of elements that pairwise generate a linear group

AbstractLet G be any of the groups (P)GL(n,q), (P)SL(n,q). Define a (simple) graph Γ=Γ(G) on the set of elements of G by connecting two vertices by an edge if and only if they generate G. Suppose that n is at least 12. Then the maximum size of a complete subgraph in Γ is equal to the chromatic number of Γ if n≢2(mod4), or if n≡2(mod4), q is odd and G=(P)SL(n,q). This work was motivated by a question of Blackburn