Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-lie-algebras-course-of-part-c-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2023/2/b/solution
Past exam of the lie algebras course of Part C of the mathematics course of the University of Oxford 2023 2 b Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-25
Take the semidirect product of a Lie algebra and a modulewhere is the defining representation of the sl2 Lie algebra. To see directly that this is a Lie algebra, realize as the block matrix . These matrices are closed under the operator commutator, whose Jacobi identity holds in every associative algebra.
Using the standard sl2 triple , its Lie brackets show : indeed , , and . Also is invertible on . For any , put ; thenIt follows that the derived algebra contains both and , so : this is a perfect Lie algebra.
However, is a nonzero ideal of a Lie algebra with zero Lie bracket. It is therefore a solvable Lie algebra and is contained in the solvable radical of . A semisimple Lie algebra has zero solvable radical, soThis illustrates the perfect semidirect product criterion: the Lie brackets internal to the first summand generate it, while its action generates the second summand.
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