Course 424 - Group Representations Sample Exam: DR Timothy Murphy April 2009
Course 424 - Group Representations Sample Exam: DR Timothy Murphy April 2009
Sample Exam
Dr Timothy Murphy
April 2009
Attempt 7 questions. (If you attempt more, only the best 7 will
be counted.) All questions carry the same number of marks.
In this paper representation means finite-dimensional representation over C.
1. Define a group representation. What is meant by saying that 2 representations , are equivalent? Find all representations of S3 of degree
2 (up to equivalence).
What is meant by saying that a representation is simple? Find all
simple representations of D4 from first principles.
2. What is meant by saying that a representation is semisimple?
State carefully, and outline the main steps in the proof of, Haars Theorem on the existence of an invariant measure on a compact group.
Prove that every representation of a compact group is semisimple.
3. Define the character of a representation , and show that it is a
class function (ie it is constant on conjugacy classes).
Define the intertwining number I(, ) of 2 representations , of a
group G, and show that if G is compact then
Z
I(, ) =
(g) (g) dg.
G
-1
0
,
X=
1
1
-1
1
.