All Questions
72 questions
42
votes
7
answers
10k
views
Bijection between irreducible representations and conjugacy classes of finite groups
Is there some natural bijection between irreducible representations and conjugacy classes of finite groups (as in case of $S_n$)?
- 1,318
13
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Number of commuting pairs (triples, n-tuples) in GL_n(F_q) (and other groups)?
Question 1 What is the number of pairs of commuting elements in GL_n(F_q) ?
I am aware of many results concerning commuting elements in Mat_n(F_q), but I am interested in GL i.e. non-degenerate ...
- 24.9k
35
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Examples of finite groups with "good" bijection(s) between conjugacy classes and irreducible representations?
For symmetric group conjugacy classes and irreducible representation both are parametrized by Young diagramms, so there is a kind of "good" bijection between the two sets. For general finite groups ...
- 24.9k
20
votes
1
answer
586
views
$q$-(and other)-analogs for counting index-$n$ subgroups in terms of Homs to $S_n$?
The following formula of astonishing beauty and power (imho):
$$ \sum_{n \ge 0} \frac{| \mathrm{Hom}(G,S_n) | }{n! } z^n = \exp\left( \sum_{n \ge 1} \frac{|\text{Index}~n~\text{subgroups of}~ G|}nz^...
- 24.9k
12
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Is there a purely group-theoretic reformulation of an equivalence of subgroups?
There is an equivalence relation between inclusion of finite groups coming from the world of subfactors:
Definition: $(H_{1} \subset G_{1}) \sim(H_{2} \subset G_{2})$ if $(R^{G_{1}} \subset R^{H_{1}}...
23
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Orbit structures of conjugacy class set and irreducible representation set under automorphism group
let G be a finite group. Suppose C is the set of conjugacy classes of G and R is the set of (equivalence classes of) irreducible representations of G over the complex numbers.
The automorphism group ...
- 7,320
13
votes
1
answer
2k
views
A dual version of a theorem of Øystein Ore in group theory
This post is a dual version for the Generalization of a theorem of Øystein Ore in which it's proved:
Theorem: Let $[H, G]$ be a distributive interval of finite groups. Then $\exists g \in G$ such ...
4
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Representation theory of p-groups in particular upper tringular matrices over F_p
Finite p-groups - have p^n elements by definition. According to WP there is rich structure theory.
Question: How far is representation theory of p-groups is understood?
In case this question is too ...
- 24.9k
32
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Order of products of elements in symmetric groups
Let $n \in \mathbb{N}$. Is it true that for any $a, b, c \in \mathbb{N}$ satisfying
$1 < a, b, c \leq n-2$ the symmetric group ${\rm S}_n$ has elements of order $a$ and $b$
whose product has order $...
- 19.6k
17
votes
0
answers
692
views
Monstrous Langlands-McKay or what is bijection between conjugacy classes and irreducible representation for sporadic simple groups?
Context: The number of conjugacy classes equals to the number of irreducuble representations (over C) for any finite group. Moreover for the symmetric group and some other groups there is "good ...
- 24.9k
9
votes
2
answers
526
views
Strongly real elements of odd order in sporadic finite simple groups
Recall that an element of a finite group is said to be real if it is conjugate to its inverse, and strongly real if the conjugating element can be chosen to be an involution.
Question: Is it true ...
- 1,090
8
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Product of conjugacy classes - is there an analog of Tanaka-Krein reconstruction ?
Consider a finite group G. The product of conjugacy classes can be defined in natural way just by multiplying the representatives and counting multiplicities (see e.g. MO 62088). So we get ring with ...
- 24.9k
45
votes
1
answer
5k
views
Square roots of elements in a finite group and representation theory
Let $G$ be a finite group. In an an earlier question, Fedor asked whether the square root counting function $r_2:G\rightarrow \mathbb{N}$, which assigns to $g\in G$ the number of elements of $G$ that ...
- 13k
44
votes
10
answers
11k
views
The finite subgroups of SL(2,C)
Books can be written about the finite subgroups of $\mathrm{SL}(2,\mathbb C)$ (and their immediate family, like the polyhedral groups...) I am about to start writing notes for a short course about ...
- 47.3k
43
votes
3
answers
10k
views
Feit-Thompson theorem: the Odd order paper
For reference, the Feit-Thompson Theorem states that every finite group of odd order is necessarily solvable. Equivalently, the theorem states that there exist no non-abelian finite simple groups of ...
- 1,993
20
votes
2
answers
948
views
The finite groups with a zero entry in each column of its character table (except the first one)
$\DeclareMathOperator\PSL{PSL}\DeclareMathOperator\Aut{Aut}$Consider the class of finite groups $G$ having a zero entry in each column of its character table (except the first one), i.e. for all $g \...
19
votes
3
answers
2k
views
A character identity
This is related to my question, but it concerns a specific point of the proof of Schur's Theorem.
Let $G$ be a finite group and $\chi$ an irreducible character of $G$. Is it true that
$$\forall g\in ...
- 52.3k
17
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Why do these two Monster-related calculations yield $163$?
Fact 1: (1979, Conway and Norton)$^{1}$
"There are $194-22-9=\color{blue}{163\,}$ $\mathbb{Z}$-independent McKay-Thompson series for the Monster."
Note: There are 194 (linear) irreducible ...
- 12.6k
11
votes
5
answers
2k
views
Structure of the adjoint representation of a (finite) group (Hopf algebra) ?
Every group acts on itself by conjugation $h \mapsto g h g^{-1}$. Respectively considering functions on a group we obtain a linear representation.
Question 1: what is known about this representation ...
- 24.9k
6
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Explicit description of all morphisms between symmetric groups.
There is a well-known morphism $S_4\to S_3$, obtained by having $S_4$ act on the three partitions of $4$ objects into $2+2$. Similarly, given any $n$, one can devise a morphism $S_n\to S_k$ for some $...
- 14.4k
6
votes
1
answer
339
views
A property forcing the Frobenius-Schur indicator to be positive
Let $G$ be a finite group. Two irreducible complex representations $V,V'$ of $G$ are called dual to each other if $V \otimes V'$ admits a trivial component, i.e. $\hom_G(V \otimes V',V_0)$ is positive ...
5
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Decomposing representations of finite groups
Let $G$ be a finite group, $p$ a prime number. We denote by $\mathbb{F}_p$ the field of cardinality $p$. Let $V$ be an infinite dimensional representation of $G$ over $\mathbb{F}_p$.
Must there be $G$...
- 11.3k
5
votes
2
answers
663
views
Decomposing the conjugacy representation of Sym$(n)$ for small $n$
I am trying to compute the decomposition of the conjugacy representation of some small symmetric groups. Perhaps someone has undertaken a similar calculation.
My own calculations are quite slow, ...
- 1,081
3
votes
3
answers
461
views
A problem with pointwise stabilizer subgroups of fixed-point subspaces II
Definitions: Let $W$ be a representation of a group $G$, $K$ a subgroup of $G$, and $X$ a subspace of $W$.
Let the fixed-point subspace $W^{K}:=\{w \in W \ \vert \ kw=w \ , \forall k \in K \}$.
Let ...
2
votes
1
answer
298
views
An upper bound for the maximal subgroups at fixed index?
Let us call a subgroup an injective homomorphism between groups.
I warn the reader that a subgroup designates here an inclusion $(H \subset G)$, not $H$ alone.
A subgroup $H \subset G$ is ...
0
votes
1
answer
473
views
Projective characters with corresponding factor set
The following is just a follow up to my previous question. I have a finite group $H$ with 14 ordinary characters. The Schur multiplier $M(H)\cong 2^2$. Hence the group $H$ will have 3 sets of ...
55
votes
5
answers
6k
views
How much of the ATLAS of finite groups is independently checked and/or computer verified?
In a recent talk Finite groups, yesterday and today Serre made some comments about proofs that rely on the classification of finite simple groups (CFSG) and on the ATLAS of Finite Groups. Namely, he ...
- 35.5k
35
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Being a subgroup: proof by character theory
Let me first cite a theorem due to Frobenius:
Let $G$ be a finite group, with $H$ a proper subgroup ($H\ne (1)$ and $G$). Suppose that for every $g\not\in H$, we have $H\cap gHg^{-1}=(1)$. Then
$...
- 52.3k
21
votes
2
answers
2k
views
A new combinatorial property for the character table of a finite group?
Let $G$ be a finite group and $\Lambda = (\lambda_{i,j})$ its character table with $\lambda_{i,1}$ the degree of the ith character.
Consider the following combinatorial property of $\Lambda$: for ...
21
votes
1
answer
1k
views
McKay conjecture for finite groups in the simplest case G=GL(2,F_p) ( puzzle: Borel knows about cuspidals)
The McKay conjecture and related (Alperin, Issacs-Navarro) are one of the "main problems in the representation theory of finite groups" (G.Navarro pdf).
Statement of the McKay conjecture is quite ...
- 24.9k
19
votes
4
answers
1k
views
The number of commuting m-tuples is divisible by order of group: Improvements?
The number of commuting pairs of elements in finite group G is equal to the product $k(G)*|G|$ (see MO271757 ) where $k(G)$ is the number of conjugacy classes. Thus it is is divisible by $|G|$ (the ...
- 24.9k
19
votes
6
answers
1k
views
Almost squared finite groups
Definition. A finite group $G$ is called squared (resp. almost squared) if there exists a subset $A\subseteq G$ such that $G=\{ab:a,b\in A\}$ and $|G|=|A|^2$ (resp. $|G|=|A|^2-1$). Such a set $A$ will ...
- 41.9k
19
votes
4
answers
3k
views
determinant of the table of characters
I am certain that the answer to this question exists somewhere. It might be a classical exercise.
Let $G$ be a finite group. Its table of characters is a square matrix, whose rows are indexed by the ...
- 52.3k
17
votes
5
answers
3k
views
Reference for this theorem in representation theory?
Let $G$ be a finite group and $\chi$ be an irreducible character of
$G$ (characteristic zero algebraically closed base field). If $H$ is
the kernel of $\chi$ then the irreducible representations of $G/...
- 887
16
votes
2
answers
992
views
Maximal number of maximal subgroups
Let $G$ be a finite group. I want to find an upper bound on the number of the maximal subgroups. My questions is does it possible to prove that the number of maximal subgroups of any finite group $G$ ...
- 2,179
15
votes
4
answers
4k
views
Algorithm to check is representation irreducible ? Algorithm to decompose the reducible one ?
Question 1 Given a representation of a finite group, what algorithm can be used to check is it irreducible or not ?
(Main case - complex numbers, comments on other cases are also welcome. "Given" ...
- 24.9k
15
votes
2
answers
838
views
factorization of the regular representation of the symmetric group
Let $\mathbb{C}[S_n]$ be the regular representation of the symmetric group $S_n$, and let $\mathbb{C}^n$ be the vector representation.
Question: Does there exist a representation $V$ (of dimension $(...
- 2,537
15
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Finite groups in which every character has real values: grading the representations
Let $G$ be a finite group. Then the irreducible complex representations of $G$ come in three sorts: real, complex and symplectic=quaternionic. The type of an irreducible character $\chi$ can be read ...
- 6,919
15
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Which finite groups have no irreducible representations other than characters?
A classical result states that all the irreducible representations of a finite group over $\mathbb{C}$ are characters if and only if $G$ is abelian. I would like to know what happens if we consider a ...
- 11.3k
14
votes
3
answers
660
views
Which partitions realise group algebras of finite groups?
Fix an algebraically closed field $K$ (maybe of characteristic zero first for simplicity, like $\mathbb{C}$).
Given a partition $p=[a_1,...,a_m]$ of an integer $n$. We can identify $p$ with the ...
- 26.5k
13
votes
4
answers
1k
views
Can we bound degrees of complex irreps in terms of the average conjugacy class size?
This question arises when looking at a certain constant associated to (a certain Banach algebra built out of) a given compact group, and specializing to the case of finite groups, in order to try and ...
- 25.8k
12
votes
0
answers
340
views
Does every finite group have a small projective representation (over some ring)?
Question. Let $G$ be a finite group. Can we find some (commutative) ring $R$ and some positive integer $d=O(\log\lvert G\rvert)$ such that $G$ can be found as a subgroup of $\operatorname{PGL}_d(R)$?
...
- 602
11
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Textbook source for finite group properties deducible from character table?
Various questions have been posted on MO (some answered, some not) involving the character table of a finite group $G$ over a splitting field such as $\mathbb{C}$ of characteristic 0. My basic ...
- 52.9k
11
votes
1
answer
739
views
Three involutions on the set of 6-box Young diagrams
The set of $n$-box Young diagrams classifies both conjugacy classes in $S_n$ and equivalence classes of irreducible representations of $S_n$. There is an outer automorphism of $S_6$, of order 2. ...
- 22.3k
10
votes
3
answers
734
views
Low-dimensional irreducible 2-modular representations of the symmetric group
I apologize if this question is a little too basic for MathOverflow, but it's somewhat outside of my background and I'm frustrated that the answer doesn't seem to be explicit in the literature even ...
- 1,298
10
votes
2
answers
547
views
Arbitrarily large finite irreducible matrix groups in odd dimension?
I consider a finite irreducible matrix group $\Gamma\subseteq\mathrm{GL}(\Bbb R^d)$. I am interested in the maximal size of $\Gamma$ depending on $d$. But this question makes only sense if there is an ...
- 13.6k
9
votes
2
answers
844
views
Formula for the Frobenius-Schur indicator of a finite group?
Let $G$ be a finite group and let $k$ be an algebraically closed field of characteristic $p \neq 2$.
Let $V$ be a finite-dimensional irreducible $kG$-module. If $V \cong V^*$, then $V$ admits a ...
- 2,821
9
votes
2
answers
525
views
Characterization of the family of simple groups PSL(2,q) by tensor multiplicity
Let $G$ be a finite group and $(\chi_i)$ its irreducible characters. Then $\forall i,j,k, \exists!n_{i,j}^k \in \mathbb{N}_{\ge 0}$ such that $$\chi_i \chi_j = \sum_k n_{i,j}^k \chi_k.$$
Let the ...
8
votes
1
answer
495
views
What is the Schur multiplier of the affine linear group AGL(n,q)?
What is the Schur multiplier of the $n$-dimensional affine linear group $\mathrm{AGL}(n,q)$ over the Galois field with $q$ elements?
I am particularly interested in the simple case $n=1$. Computation ...
- 533
8
votes
1
answer
256
views
Existence of a finite group with a given decomposition for a tensor square of one irreducible complex representation
In this post, irrep and dim mean "irreducible complex representation" and "dimension", respectively.
It would be helpful (in a problem of monoidal category) to find a finite group $G$ with (at least) ...