Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2018/iii/paper-102/2/b/solution

Fix a simple root and choose generators of the sl2 subalgebra associated with a root, with and
The highest-weight vector satisfies and , where . The classification of finite-dimensional sl2 representations already implies that is a nonnegative integer. One can also see the necessary integrality directly from the lowering operator.
Indeed, , if nonzero, has eigenvalue . These distinct eigenvalues cannot occur indefinitely in a finite-dimensional space, so there is a largest with . The sl2 Lie algebra relations imply, by induction on ,
For the left side is zero, hence . Thus . Since this holds for every simple root,

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