In the group algebra of , the product of the Young–Jucys–Murphy elements is the sum of all -cycles, each with coefficient one. To prove it, multiply the sum of all -cycles by . Right multiplication by inserts immediately after in the cycle. Every -cycle has a unique predecessor of , so deletion inverts this insertion bijectively. Induction starts at . The identity turns a product of cell contents into a central character value of a conjugacy-class sum.
The Gelfand–Tsetlin basis spans , and the scalar computed on its vectors depends only on the shape. Thus
for every . The product is the sum of the permutations in the conjugacy class of an -cycle. Taking traces therefore gives equal to the displayed scalar times .
For a hook partition, a standard Young tableau is uniquely determined by the choice of its entries below the top cell, selected from . The column and the remaining row are then forced to increase. Hence , and cancellation of the factorials yields
This uses the central character value of a conjugacy-class sum and tableau counting, without a character rule for removing rim hooks.
The row orthogonality relations for a character table state that for irreducible characters ,
Equivalently, if runs through representatives of the conjugacy classes ,
Fix an irreducible . The sum of the elements in a conjugacy class is central in , so Schur lemma says that it acts in the representation affording by the scalar
This central character value of a conjugacy-class sum is an algebraic integer: the class sum acts by a matrix with integer entries on the regular representation, and is one of its eigenvalues. Also is an algebraic integer because character values are sums of roots of unity.
Row orthogonality with now gives
The right-hand side is an algebraic integer. The left-hand side is rational, and every rational algebraic integer is an integer. Therefore