Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-lie-algebras-and-representation-theory-of-symmetric-groups-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2010/b/6/3/solution
Past exam of the Lie algebras and representation theory of symmetric groups course of the University of Oxford 2010 B 6 3 Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-31
The full-cycle formula says that precisely the nonhook shapes have zero value on a 6-cycle. These are .
Use the standard two-row permutation-character rule . A transposition has four fixed points, so . It fixes two-subsets, giving . It fixes three-subsets, giving .
Conjugating a partition tensors its character with the sign character. Hence the values on a transposition for the conjugate shapes are and . The shape is self-conjugate, so its character equals its own sign twist and is zero on every odd permutation. The complete candidate table is therefore:
| Shape | Value on a transposition |
|---|---|
Thus the unique answer is
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