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In a finite-dimensional short exact sequence $0\to N\to E\to \mathbb{C}\to 0$ of representations of a complex semisimple Lie algebra, the generalized zero eigenspace of the Casimir operator maps onto the trivial quotient. All its irreducible composition factors have zero Casimir eigenvalue, so they are trivial. The action is therefore strictly upper triangular and has solvable image; because a semisimple Lie algebra is a perfect Lie algebra, that image is zero. Every lift in this generalized zero eigenspace is invariant, giving a split short exact sequence.

A soluble group is a group whose derived series $G^{(0)}=G$, $G^{(i+1)}=[G^{(i)},G^{(i)}]$ terminates at $1$. Equivalently, it has a finite subnormal series with abelian factors. For the reverse implication, if $G/N$ has derived length $r$, then $G^{(r)}\le N$; if $N$ has derived length $s$, then $G^{(r+s)}=1$. Iterating this observation through the series proves the equivalence. For a finite group, refining the abelian factors to composition factors says that solubility is equivalent to all composition factors being cyclic of prime order.

Subgroups and quotient groups of soluble groups are soluble, since their derived series lie in, or are images of, the original series. The same calculation proves closure under group extensions. Finite p-groups are nilpotent groups, hence soluble: their nontrivial centers allow induction to construct a central series. Every finite nilpotent group is a direct product of groups of its Sylow subgroups. The converse fails: $S_3$ has the abelian-factor series $1<C_3<S_3$, but its order-two Sylow subgroups are not normal. The symmetric group $S_4$ is also soluble, with series $1<V_4<A_4<S_4$ and abelian factors. A finite soluble group has elementary abelian minimal normal subgroups, by the argument in 1(c). In contrast, a nonabelian simple group is a perfect group and is not soluble.

The Fitting subgroup collects the normal nilpotent structure. For a nontrivial finite soluble group it is nontrivial, since it contains an elementary abelian minimal normal subgroup. Part 1(c) proves $C_G(F)\le F$, so conjugation embeds $G/C_G(F)$ in $\mathrm{Aut}(F)$. This shows why controlling a soluble group through normal abelian or nilpotent layers is effective, even when the whole group is not a nilpotent group.

For a set of primes $\pi$, a Hall subgroup of type $\pi$ has order divisible only by primes in $\pi$ and index divisible only by primes outside $\pi$. The Hall theorem for soluble groups says that a finite soluble group has such subgroups, any two are conjugate, and every subgroup of $\pi$-order is contained in one. These assertions generalize the Sylow theorems, which treat a single prime. Here is a proof of all three assertions.

First we need coprime splitting over an elementary abelian normal subgroup. Suppose $V⊴E$ is an elementary abelian p-group and $Q=E/V$ has order $h$ prime to $p$. A section $s:Q\to E$ defines an action on $V$ and an additive factor set $f(x,y)$ by $s(x)s(y)=f(x,y)s(xy)$. Associativity saysSumming over $z\in Q$ and dividing by $h$ in $V$ gives $f(x,y)=b(x)+xb(y)-b(xy)$, where $b(x)=h^{-1}{\sum }_{z}f(x,z)$. Replacing $s(x)$ by $-b(x)s(x)$ removes the factor set, giving a complement. Two complements differ by a map $d$ satisfying $d(xy)=d(x)+xd(y)$. Averaging over $y$ gives $d(x)=b-xb$, so the complements are conjugate by an element of $V$. This proves both splitting and conjugacy, without assuming that an arbitrary extension splits.

Induct on $|G|$, taking an elementary abelian minimal normal subgroup $V$ of exponent $p$. Choose a quotient Hall subgroup $\bar{H}\le G/V$ and let $K$ be its preimage. If $p\in \pi$, then $K$ itself is a Hall subgroup. If $p\notin \pi$, the preceding splitting argument gives a complement $H$ to $V$ in $K$, and that complement is a Hall subgroup of $G$.

For conjugacy, the images of two Hall subgroups are quotient Hall subgroups, so induction allows them to have the same image and lie in the same $K$. If $p\in \pi$, every Hall subgroup contains $V$: its product with $V$ is a $\pi$-subgroup and cannot be larger by the subgroup-order formula. Both are then $K$. If $p\notin \pi$, both are complements to $V$ in $K$, so the averaging argument conjugates them.

Finally let $U\le G$ be any $\pi$-subgroup. By induction its image lies in a quotient Hall subgroup, so $U\le K$. If $p\in \pi$, $K$ is already a Hall subgroup containing $U$. Otherwise write $K=V⋊H$. In $VU$, both $U$ and the inverse image in $H$ of the image of $U$ are complements to $V$. Complement conjugacy therefore places $U$ in a conjugate of $H$. This proves embedding and completes the induction.

Thus existence, conjugacy and containment all hold for every prime set in a finite soluble group. The solubility hypothesis matters: $A_5$ has no Hall subgroup for $\pi =\{2,5\}$. Such a subgroup would have index three; its coset action would give a nontrivial group homomorphism $A_5\to S_3$, impossible because $A_5$ is a simple group and has order $60$. This example also distinguishes a Hall subgroup from a merely arbitrary subgroup whose order uses the chosen primes.

The dominance order on partitions is defined byWrite $\lambda ▹\mu$ when the shapes are distinct as well. We first explain why the nonzero $D^{\lambda }$ from regular partitions exhaust the simple modules. The argument also provides the required constraint on composition factors.

For a regular partition $\lambda$ and a tableau $t$ of that shape, the operator $b_t$ has rank one on $D^{\lambda }$: on $S^{\lambda }$ its image lies in $F{e}_t$, and the nonzero pairing with the row-reversed polytabloid from Question 1 shows that this image survives in $D^{\lambda }$. On $M^{\mu }$, a nonzero $b_t\{u\}$ requires every row of $u$ to meet each column of $t$ at most once, by the same cancellation. Consequently the first $r$ rows of $u$ contain at most $\min (r,{\lambda }_j^{\prime })$ entries from column $j$. Summing givesThus nonzero column action forces $\lambda ⊵\mu$. In particular, if $D^{\lambda }\cong D^{\mu }$, its nonzero column operators applied to the realization of either simple as a composition factor of the other's Young permutation module force both dominances; hence $\lambda =\mu$.

Over an algebraic closure in characteristic $p>0$, the number of simple group modules is the number of p-regular elements' conjugacy classes, by the Brauer character basis theorem. Such classes in $S_n$ have cycle lengths not divisible by $p$. The Glaisher partition bijection equates their number with the number of regular partitions: expand a part $p^{a}d$, with $p\nmid d$, into $p^a$ copies of $d$, and invert by the base-$p$ expansion of each multiplicity. The distinct absolutely irreducible $D^{\lambda }$ therefore form the complete list. Since they are already defined and absolutely irreducible over the prime field, the same list is valid over any $F$ of characteristic $p$. In characteristic zero, the analogous count uses all partitions of an integer and all conjugacy classes.

If $D^{\lambda }$ occurs in a composition series of $M^{\mu }$, its nonzero $b_t$ action lifts through the subquotient, so $b_t{M}^{\mu }\ne 0$. The inequality above proves $\lambda ⊵\mu$. When $\lambda =\mu$ is regular, $b_t$ has rank one on $M^{\mu }$ and rank one on $D^{\mu }$. An operator preserving a finite filtration has rank at least the sum of its ranks on the successive quotients: relative to an adapted basis its matrix is block triangular, and nonzero pivot minors of the diagonal blocks combine to a nonzero minor. Therefore $D^{\mu }$ can occur at most once. It occurs at least once as the quotient of $S^{\mu }\subset M^{\mu }$. We have provedFor a nonregular $\mu$, equality is impossible because $D^{\mu }=0$.

Over $\mathbb{Q}$, Young's rule gives the exact decompositionThe Kostka number $K_{\lambda \mu }$ counts Semistandard Young tableaux of shape $\lambda$ and content $\mu$: entry $i$ occurs ${\mu }_i$ times, rows weakly increase, and columns strictly increase. In particular $K_{\mu \mu }=1$ and nonzero multiplicity requires dominance.

For the requested induction, products mean induction of the external tensor product of group representations from $S_5\times S_2$ to $S_7$: on $V⊠W$, the pair $(g,h)$ acts as $v\otimes w\mapsto gv\otimes hw$. One can compute using Young's rule alone. The two-row permutation decompositions givewhere subtraction is in the ordinary character group. Reordering row blocks gives isomorphic permutation modules. Inducing after multiplication by the trivial $S^{(2)}$ gives $[M^{(3,2,2)}]-[M^{(4,2,1)}]$. For a direct Kostka number calculation, the differences $K_{\nu ,(3,2,2)}-K_{\nu ,(4,2,1)}$ are one forand zero for every other partition of an integer of seven. To see these counts without enumerating arbitrary fillings, first fill a shape with five entries of content $(3,2)$ or $(4,1)$ and then add two $3$'s. The added cells must be a horizontal strip. Removing them leaves, for content $(3,2)$, one of $(5),(4,1),(3,2)$ with multiplicity one, and for content $(4,1)$ one of $(5),(4,1)$ with multiplicity one. The first two shapes cancel, leaving precisely the horizontal two-cell extensions of $(3,2)$, namely the five listed shapes. ConsequentlyThe hook-length formula checks the dimensions: $14+14+35+21+21=105=\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{7}{5}\right)\cdot 5$.

Since $S^{\mu }\subset M^{\mu }$, Question 2 shows that every composition factor of $S^{\mu }$ is $D^{\lambda }$ for a regular partition $\lambda ⊵\mu$. If $\mu$ is regular, its radical quotient $D^{\mu }$ occurs once: it occurs as a quotient, and its multiplicity is bounded above by the multiplicity one in $M^{\mu }$. All remaining factors have strictly dominating labels. A nonregular row has only strictly dominating regular labels.

Define $d_{\mu \lambda }=[S^{\mu }:D^{\lambda }]$. Order the row labels, all partitions of an integer of $n$, and the column labels, the regular partitions of an integer, by the same total order refining decreasing dominance. ThenThe matrix is generally rectangular. Its submatrix on regular rows is lower unitriangular in this decreasing convention; placing least dominant shapes first would transpose the visual triangular convention, not the indices.

This is the decomposition matrix, not just an abstract composition factor table. The standard polytabloid basis makes $S_{\mathbb{Z}}^{\mu }$ a free invariant integral lattice whose extension to characteristic zero is the ordinary irreducible $S^{\mu }$. Reducing this same lattice modulo $p$ gives exactly the modular $S^{\mu }$. On p-regular elements, reduction of its ordinary character is the sum of the Brauer characters of its composition factors, with coefficients $d_{\mu \lambda }$. These are the defining decomposition numbers; the resulting class in the modular representation ring is independent of the chosen invariant lattice.

For $S_3$, take rows $(3),(2,1),(1,1,1)$ in that order. In characteristic zero, or $p>3$, all three Specht modules are irreducible by Maschke's theorem, andFor $p=2$ the regular labels are $(3),(2,1)$ andIndeed the sign representation equals the trivial representation. The two-dimensional $S^{(2,1)}$ is the sum-zero subspace of the three-point permutation module. Over an algebraic closure, a $3$-cycle has two distinct nontrivial third-root eigenvalues there, and a transposition exchanges their lines. Neither line is invariant under $S_3$, proving absolute irreducibility.

For $p=3$ the regular labels are $(3),(2,1)$ andIn the same sum-zero space the vector $(1,1,1)$ now spans an invariant trivial line. Its one-dimensional quotient is sign: the determinant of the sum-zero representation is sign, and the determinant of the invariant line is trivial. Therefore $S^{(2,1)}$ has one trivial and one sign factor, with sign its simple head $D^{(2,1)}$. The bottom Specht module is itself sign. This proves every entry of the three possible matrices.

Choose $m\ge \ell (\lambda )$, pad the partition of an integer with zeros, and define its beta numbers byThey form a strictly decreasing set of nonnegative integers. Conversely, from its decreasing enumeration recover ${\lambda }_i={\beta }_i-m+i$. With $m=\ell (\lambda )$ these are exactly the first-column hook lengths, since $h_{i1}={\lambda }_i+{\lambda }_1^{\prime }-i={\lambda }_i+m-i$. Padding changes the numbers: increasing $m$ by one replaces $B$ by $\{0\}\cup (B+1)$, and leaves the represented partition of an integer unchanged.

Arrange positions $0,1,2,\dots$ on $p$ runners, putting position $r+pk$ on runner $r$ at height $k$. A bead occupies each position in the beta set. This is the abacus of a partition. The hook criterion in a beta set says that a bead $b$ and a gap $a<b$ correspond to a hook of length $b-a$; replacing $b$ by $a$ removes the corresponding rim hook. In particular removing a rim $p$-hook moves a bead from $b$ to the vacant position $b-p$ immediately above it on the same runner. Its leg length counts the beads in the intervening positions of the full linear numbering.

For an explicit example, take $\lambda =(4,2,1)$, $p=3$, and $m=3$. Its beta set is $\{6,3,1\}$. Runner zero has beads at $3,6$, runner one has a bead at $1$, and runner two is empty. Packing upwards gives $\{3,1,0\}$, which represents $(1)$; thus the three-core is $(1)$ and the weight is two.

Every bead slide reduces the sum of occupied positions, so repeated slides terminate. The number $n_r$ of beads on each runner is unchanged. At termination they must occupy exactlyon runner $r$, since any gap above a bead would allow a further slide. Hence the final beta set is uniquely determined by the initial runner counts, independently of the order of hook removals. Increasing the number of beads by $p$ replaces $B$ by $\{0,\dots ,p-1\}\cup (B+p)$, adds one bead to each runner, and gives exactly the same represented core after packing. General changes in padding follow by applying $B\mapsto \{0\}\cup (B+1)$; packing commutes with this operation up to the cyclic relabelling of runners. Therefore the result is independent of both removal order and padding:The weight of a partition is $w_p(\lambda )=(n-|C_p(\lambda )|)/p$.

A block of a group algebra is an indecomposable two-sided summand $F{S}_{n}e$, where $e$ is a primitive central idempotent. The identity decomposes into pairwise orthogonal such idempotents; a module belongs to a block when its idempotent acts as identity and the other block idempotents act as zero. For ordinary characters, use a splitting p-modular system $(K,\mathcal{O},F)$, or extend the residue field first: the block idempotents lift to $\mathcal{O}{S}_n$, and determine which ordinary irreducible $K{S}_n$-modules lie in each $p$-block. The symmetric group is split over its prime field, so extending $F$ introduces no change to the resulting partition of an integer labels.

The Nakayama block theorem, traditionally called the Nakayama Conjecture for symmetric groups, isThe simple modules in that block are exactly the $D^{\nu }$ with regular labels having that core. At fixed $n$, the common core also fixes the weight. Here is an essay proof route through central characters, specifying the main algebraic and combinatorial steps and why each is needed.

First introduce the commuting Young–Jucys–Murphy elementsTheir commutators vanish because contributions supported on each triple of letters cancel. Symmetric polynomials in the $J_i$ are central: for adjacent transpositions $s_i$, the relations $s_i{J}_i=J_{i+1}{s}_i-1$, $s_i{J}_{i+1}=J_i{s}_i+1$ show that $s_i$ commutes with symmetric expressions in $J_i,J_{i+1}$, and it commutes with the other $J_j$. Since these transpositions generate $S_n$, the symmetric expressions commute with the whole group algebra.

The substantial generation ingredient is the integral Jucys–Murphy description of the center of a symmetric-group algebra: every conjugacy-class sum is an integral symmetric polynomial in the $J_i$. Its proof expands symmetric monomials in these sums of transpositions and organizes the resulting class sums by the number of moved letters and cycle filtration; triangular elimination supplies integral spanning, rather than merely rational spanning. A useful first identity in this construction isIndeed, when adjoining the letter $n$, either choose $t$ and leave it as a singleton cycle, or choose a transposition $(jn)$ and insert it into the cycle containing $j$; this gives every permutation uniquely. The full generation step distinguishes the individual class sums which this first identity groups together. Its integrality is essential: a description only over $\mathbb{Q}$ could use denominators divisible by $p$ and would not prove generation of the modular center. Since class sums form the integral basis of the center, this integral theorem reduces to the same generation statement over $F$.

Next determine their scalar action. In the characteristic-zero tableau basis of $S^{\lambda }$, $J_i$ is diagonal with entry the Content of a Young-diagram cell occupied by $i$, namely column minus row. This follows recursively along the multiplicity-free branching chain: the commuting operators preserve each path line, and $J_{i+1}=s_i{J}_i{s}_i+s_i$ determines the successive eigenvalues. Consequently a symmetric polynomial $f(J_1,\dots ,J_n)$ acts on $S^{\lambda }$ byThis is independent of the ordering of the cells. The scalar identity holds on the integral Specht lattice, so after modular reduction it depends only on the multiset of contents modulo $p$. Every composition factor has this same central character of a block.

Two simple modules are in the same block exactly when their central characters agree. The center of a block is a commutative local finite-dimensional algebra; its semisimple quotient gives one scalar character, while the orthogonal block idempotents separate different blocks. By the generation theorem, equality on all symmetric polynomials in the $J_i$ is enough. Conversely, different residue multisets are detected by elementary symmetric polynomials: the monic polynomial ${\prod }_{(i,j)\in \lambda }(z-(j-i))$ over $F$ recovers the multiplicity of each residue by unique factorization, including multiplicities larger than $p$. Thus block equivalence is exactly equality of the integersThis gives the residue-content criterion for symmetric-group blocks without assuming that the sum of contents alone distinguishes blocks.

Finally identify residue content with the core. A removable rim $p$-hook has consecutive contents modulo $p$, hence removes one cell of each residue. Therefore shapes with the same core and the same size have the same residue counts. For the converse choose $m$ divisible by $p$ and at least $n$, and write $q_r=n_r-m/p$ for the runner charges. Starting from the empty partition of an integer gives $q_r=0$. Adding a cell of residue $r$ moves a beta-number bead from residue $r-1$ to residue $r$, increasing $q_r$ and decreasing $q_{r-1}$. The same changes occur in $c_s-c_{s+1}$ when $c_r$ increases by one. Induction on the cells therefore givesEqual residue counts give equal charges and hence equal packed runner configurations, so they give the same core. This completes both directions of the block criterion. The argument exposes the three essential bridges: integral center generation, its scalar content evaluation, and the abacus identification of residue data with a unique core.

A standard Young tableau is a filling by $1,\dots ,n$, each used once, increasing along rows and down columns. A semistandard Young tableau is a filling by positive integers, weakly increasing along rows and strictly increasing down columns. Its content $\mu$ means that the entry $i$ occurs ${\mu }_i$ times. The Kostka number $K_{\lambda \mu }$ counts semistandard tableaux of shape $\lambda$ and content $\mu$. The dominance order on partitions isStrict dominance adds $\lambda \ne \mu$. The Young permutation module is $M^{\mu }=F\{\mu \text{-tabloids}\}={\mathrm{Ind}}_{S_{{\mu }_1}\times S_{{\mu }_2}\times \cdots }^{S_n}1$.

Let $D^{\lambda }$ be a composition factor of $M^{\mu }$. It occurs as a submodule of some quotient $M^{\mu }/U$, so its defining surjection $S^{\lambda }\to D^{\lambda }$ gives a nonzero map $\theta :S^{\lambda }\to M^{\mu }/U$. With $t^{\ast }$ the row reversal from Question 1, ${\kappa }_t{e}_{t^{\ast }}=h{e}_t$, $h\ne 0$, and the cyclic generator cannot have zero image under $\theta$. Therefore ${\kappa }_t$ acts nontrivially on $M^{\mu }/U$, and hence on $M^{\mu }$. The column-cancellation argument proves $\lambda ⊵\mu$.

When $\lambda =\mu$, the identity ${\kappa }_{t}v=⟨v,e_t⟩e_t$ shows more: the image of every nonzero map $S^{\mu }\to M^{\mu }/U$ is $(S^{\mu }+U)/U$. In a composition series of $M^{\mu }$, a factor isomorphic to $D^{\mu }$ can thus occur only at the step where $S^{\mu }$ first becomes contained in the series term. Once contained, every later such map would have zero image. Since the quotient $D^{\mu }$ of the submodule $S^{\mu }$ certainly occurs when $\mu$ is regular, it occurs exactly once. If $\mu$ is not regular, no simple is indexed by $\mu$. Consequently every other factor has a strictly dominating regular label. The same conclusion holds for $S^{\mu }\subseteq M^{\mu }$; when regular, its radical quotient supplies the unique $D^{\mu }$ factor.

The integral standard-basis theorem says that the standard polytabloids form a basis over every field. Thus $\dim S_F^{\mu }=f^{\mu }$ is independent of characteristic. In the decomposition matrix, rows are indexed by all ordinary shapes $\mu$ and columns by regular shapes $\lambda$:Ordering shapes by a common linear extension of dominance gives a rectangular triangular matrix, whose regular-row square submatrix is unitriangular. The standard basis also gives $f^{\mu }={\sum }_{\lambda }{d}_{\mu \lambda }\dim D^{\lambda }$.

Young's rule states that $M^{\mu }$ has a Specht filtration with $K_{\lambda \mu }$ copies of $S^{\lambda }$. In characteristic zero this is a direct-sum decomposition into irreducibles. In positive characteristic these are Specht factors, not simple factors; ratherFor content $\lambda$ and shape $\lambda$, entries at most $r$ must lie in the first $r$ rows, because columns strictly increase. Their number is exactly the size of those rows, so successive rows must be filled by their row number. Hence $K_{\lambda \lambda }=1$. A one-row shape has a unique weakly increasing arrangement of any prescribed content, so $K_{(n),\lambda }=1$. Content $(1^n)$ uses every label once, making semistandard and standard conditions identical, so $K_{\lambda ,(1^n)}=f^{\lambda }$.

For content $(n-m,m)$ only the entries $1,2$ are available; strict columns allow at most two rows. In shape $(n-j,j)$ every bottom entry is $2$ and every entry above it is $1$. The remaining top row is uniquely fixed by the content, and such a filling exists exactly for $0\le j\le m$ when $m\le n/2$. Young's rule therefore giveswhere multiplication denotes induction from the indicated Young subgroup, not pointwise multiplication of characters of the same group. The dimension of this permutation module is $\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{n}{m}\right)$. Subtracting the analogous identity with $m-1$ yieldswith $\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{n}{-1}\right)=0$ for $m=0$. This dimension holds over every field.

For a cell $(i,j)$ in the Young diagram of $\lambda$, its hook of a Young diagram consists of that cell, the cells to its right in row $i$ and the cells below it in column $j$. Its length isA removable rim hook is a connected border strip $\lambda /\mu$ containing no $2\times 2$ square, whose removal leaves a Young diagram. Its leg length is the number of rows it meets minus one. The hook graph is the Young diagram labeled at each cell by $h_{ij}$; here “graph” means this labeled array, not a graph of possible hook-walk moves.

Choose $l\ge \ell (\lambda )$, pad with zeros and form the beta numbersThey are distinct nonnegative integers in decreasing order and recover ${\lambda }_i={\beta }_i-l+i$. For $l=\ell (\lambda )$ they equal the first-column hook lengths, since $h_{i1}={\lambda }_i+l-i$. If $l$ is increased, old beta numbers shift upward by one and a new bead at zero is inserted.

For a prime-modulus partition abacus arrange the nonnegative positions in $p$ runners: position $pq+r$ lies at level $q$ on runner $r$, $0\le r<p$. Put beads at the beta numbers and leave the other positions empty. Replacing a bead at $b$ by a bead at a vacant $b-k\ge 0$ removes a rim hook of length $k$; its leg length is the number of beads strictly between these positions. This follows by tracing the boundary of the diagram: bead positions record vertical steps and gaps record horizontal steps, and exchanging one bead and gap removes the intervening border strip. In particular a removable $p$-hook is exactly a bead that can slide up one place on its own runner.

The partition core at modulus $p$ is the result of sliding beads up until there are no gaps above any bead on a runner. If runner $r$ initially has $b_r$ beads, its final occupied levels must be $0,1,\dots ,b_r-1$, independently of slide order. Thus its packed beta set, and hence its core partition of an integer, is unique. Increasing the number of beta numbers merely re-expresses the same boundary by shifting positions and adding the new initial bead; the packed configuration represents the same partition of an integer. This proves well-definedness both with respect to removal order and to the chosen padding. The number of slides isThe partition quotient components record how far each runner's beads lie above their packed positions, giving the hook-removal interpretation used in Question 5.

A block of a group algebra in characteristic $p$ for $F{S}_n$ is a two-sided ideal $B=F{S}_{n}e$ for a primitive central idempotent $e$, meaning a nonzero central idempotent that is not a sum of two nonzero orthogonal central idempotents. The identity is the sum of these block idempotents and the group algebra is their direct product. An indecomposable module $V$ belongs to $B$ when $eV=V$, equivalently every other block idempotent acts as zero. Indeed $V={⨁}_{e}eV$; indecomposability makes exactly one summand nonzero.

The Nakayama block theorem, historically called the Nakayama Conjecture, statesEquivalently the ordinary characters assigned to one modular block have a common partition core at modulus $p$. Its simple modules are the $D^{\lambda }$ with regular $\lambda$ having that core. Only cores $\kappa$ for which $n-|\kappa |$ is a nonnegative multiple of $p$ occur. The block weight is $(n-|\kappa |)/p$; a core alone determines the block at this fixed degree.

One route to the proof separates the combinatorial core invariant from the algebraic center invariant. Let $c_r(\lambda )$ be the number of cells of residue $r=j-i(\mathrm{mod}p)$. A length-$p$ rim hook has one cell of every residue: along its border strip the contents are consecutive integers. Therefore removal subtracts one from every $c_r$. More precisely, choose the number $l$ of beta numbers divisible by $p$ and write the runner charges as $q_r=b_r-l/p$. Reading the boundary, or adding a cell and checking its two changed beta positions, givesThe charges determine the packed runners and hence the core. For fixed $n$, two equal cores have the same weight, so their full residue multisets are equal. Conversely equal residue multisets give equal charges and the same core. This establishesfor partitions of an integer of the same integer. The fixed-degree condition matters.

For the center invariant, use the commuting Jucys–Murphy elements $J_k={\sum }_{i<k}(ik)$, with $J_1=0$. In the Young seminormal form basis, $J_k$ has eigenvalue equal to the content of the cell containing $k$. A symmetric polynomial in them therefore acts on $S^{\lambda }$ as the same scalar for every Young tableau: its value on the multiset of all contents of $\lambda$. The integral Specht lattice makes this a scalar identity before modular reduction, so modulo $p$ these central scalars depend only on the residue multiset, and every composition factor inherits them.

The substantive center theorem used in this proof is that the center of the symmetric-group algebra, integrally and over a field, consists of symmetric polynomials in the Jucys–Murphy elements. Centrality of elementary symmetric polynomials follows fromthe coefficients are central class-sum combinations. The reverse inclusion requires the integral triangular class-sum argument: expand symmetric monomials in the $J_k$ as products of transpositions, group the leading terms by reduced cycle type, and eliminate these leading class sums in the resulting unitriangular order. The integral coefficients, with no division by multiples of $p$, are crucial; knowing the center only over $\mathbb{Q}$ would not prove the modular assertion. This is the central algebraic ingredient of this proof route.

Thus equal residue multisets yield equal characters of the entire modular center. Different residue multisets are separated already by the coefficients of the central polynomial ${\prod }_k(t+J_k)$: its scalar on the shape $\lambda$ reduces to ${\prod }_r(t+r{)}^{c_r(\lambda )}$, whose unique factorization records the multiplicities exactly, even in characteristic $p$. In a finite-dimensional split algebra, two simple modules are in the same block exactly when their central characters agree: the center of each block is local, while different block idempotents separate different blocks. It follows that equal cores give one block and different cores give distinct blocks. This proves both directions rather than just observing that core is constant on known blocks.

Finally, each ordinary Specht lattice has a single reduced central character, so all constituents of its reduction lie in that one block. Question 1 supplies every simple module and its label; the regular labels therefore identify all the simples in each core block. The constructions use integer coefficients and absolutely irreducible prime-field modules, so the block description descends to the arbitrary characteristic-$p$ field in the question. This completes the main steps of the block proof without presupposing semisimplicity in positive characteristic.

The Nagao version of Brauer second main theorem is the following module statement. Let $e$ be a central idempotent of $kG$, let $P$ be a p-subgroup, and suppose $C_G(P)\le K\le N_G(P)$. If $eM=M$, put $b={\mathrm{Br}}_P(e)$, which is central in $kK$. Thenand every indecomposable summand of the second term has vertex not containing $P$. More precisely it is relatively projective for some $p$-subgroup of $K$ not containing $P$. In particular the vertex-$P$ Green correspondent lies in the block selected by the Brauer morphism. This is the precise restriction statement needed below.

Let $B$ have defect group of a block $D$, and let $b$ be its Brauer correspondent in $N=N_G(D)$. We first build a trivial-source module in $b$. The exact functoris nonzero on the trivial $kD$-module. Otherwise it would vanish on every $kD$-module, since a group algebra of a p-group in characteristic p is local and all composition factors are trivial; but $F(kD)=b\ne 0$. Choose an indecomposable summand $V$ of $F(k)$. Since $D◃N$, its restriction to $D$ is a nonzero direct sum of trivial modules. It is $D$-projective. It cannot have a proper vertex $Q<D$: restriction would make a trivial $D$-module relatively $Q$-projective, whereas on its endomorphisms the trace from $Q$ is multiplication by $[D:Q]=0$ in $k$, contrary to the D. Higman criterion. Hence $V$ has vertex $D$ and trivial source.

Take its Green correspondent $M$ in $G$. To verify that $M$ is in the intended block rather than just some block with a large defect, let $e^{\prime }$ be the global block idempotent acting on $M$. Nagao's theorem puts the vertex-$D$ summand $V$ of $M{\downarrow }_N$ in ${\mathrm{Br}}_D(e^{\prime })$. Thus $e_b{\mathrm{Br}}_D(e^{\prime })\ne 0$. The first main theorem already gives $e_b={\mathrm{Br}}_D(e_B)$; orthogonality of Brauer images of different global block idempotents forces $e^{\prime }=e_B$. Green correspondence preserves sources, so $B$ contains an indecomposable module with vertex $D$ and trivial source. The same argument proves the same-block compatibility of Green correspondence for every vertex-$D$ module used below.

For finite representation type, first suppose $D$ is cyclic of order $q$. Write $D=⟨g⟩$ and $t=g-1$. Then $kD\cong k[t]/(t^q)$, and the indecomposable modules for a cyclic p-group are $k[t]/(t^j)$, $1\le j\le q$, by Jordan normal form. Every indecomposable module in $B$ is $D$-projective by Question 1, so is a summand of an induction of one of these finitely many indecomposable $kD$-modules. Each induction has finitely many indecomposable summands. Therefore $B$ has finite representation type.

For the converse it is important to obtain infinitely many modules of full vertex $D$, and not silently assume that the field is infinite. If $D$ is noncyclic, its quotient by the Frattini subgroup is elementary abelian of rank at least two, so $D$ maps onto $C_p\times C_p$. A rank-one Frattini quotient would make any lift of its generator generate $D$, since every proper subgroup is contained in a maximal subgroup. Here is an explicit family of full-vertex modules for a noncyclic p-group valid over every field $k$. Set $x=g-1$, $y=h-1$ for the two quotient generators. Onput $x{v}_0=0$, $x{v}_i=w_i$ for $1\le i\le r$, $y{v}_i=w_{i+1}$ for $0\le i<r$, $y{v}_r=0$, and $x{w}_i=y{w}_i=0$. All products of $x,y$ are zero, so the relations $x^p=y^p=0$ and $xy=yx$ hold, including when $p=2$.

These modules are indecomposable. Their common kernel and radical are $W=⟨w_i⟩$. An endomorphism preserves $W$; let $A$ be its induced matrix on $L_r/W$ and $C$ its matrix on $W$. The equations $CX=XA$, $CY=YA$ for the two displayed shift maps force $A$ and $C$ to be the same scalar: the first and last columns give the boundary zeroes, and the recurrence $a_{j,i+1}=a_{j-1,i}$ forces all off-diagonal entries to vanish and all diagonal entries to agree. The remaining endomorphisms map the top into $W$ and vanish on $W$, so form a square-zero ideal. Thus the endomorphism ring is local. Inflate $L_r$ to $D$ and choose the infinitely many $r$ for which $p\nmid 2r+1$. Such an $L_r$ has vertex $D$: if $1={\mathrm{Tr}}_Q^D(\alpha )$ for a proper $Q<D$, taking ordinary matrix traces would givea contradiction. Their distinct dimensions ensure distinct isomorphism classes.

Each $F(L_r)=e_b{\mathrm{Ind}}_D^N{L}_r$ is nonzero, by exactness and the already proved $F(k)\ne 0$. Its restriction to $D$ is a summand of a sum of conjugates of $L_r$, by normality of $D$ and Mackey decomposition. Consequently every indecomposable summand chosen from $F(L_r)$ has vertex $D$, and has a source conjugate to $L_r$. If $b$ contained only finitely many indecomposables, their restrictions to $D$ would contain only finitely many possible sources, contradicting this family. Green correspondence and Nagao's theorem then transfer infinitely many vertex-$D$ indecomposables in $b$ to distinct indecomposables in $B$. We have proved

Finally, for $C_p=⟨g⟩$, the algebra $k{C}_p=k[t]/(t^p)$ has precisely the indecomposablesOn $M_j$, $g$ acts as a single size-$j$ Jordan block with eigenvalue $1$. Its submodules are exactly its ideals, hence the powers of $t$: an ideal has a generator of least degree, and multiplying that generator by a unit makes it a power of $t$. Therefore its unique composition series of a module iswith $j$ trivial one-dimensional composition factors. This is uniqueness of the actual chain, stronger than uniqueness of the multiset of factors. The algebra is local, so its sole principal indecomposable module is its regular module $M_p=k{C}_p$, of dimension and composition length $p$.

A finite-dimensional group algebra has finite representation type of a group algebra when there are only finitely many isomorphism classes of finite-dimensional indecomposable modules. The definition concerns all dimensions, not merely finitely many modules in each fixed dimension.

Let $e_B$ be the block idempotent and choose a maximal Brauer pair $(D,b_D)$: $b_D$ is a block idempotent of $k{C}_G(D)$ with $b_D{\mathrm{Br}}_D(e_B)\ne 0$. The inertial index of a block iswhere $N_G(D,b_D)$ is the stabilizer of the chosen pair. Changing the pair by conjugation does not alter this number. For cyclic $D$, it is a prime-to-$p$ divisor of $p-1$. Here $n\ge 1$, as required for the order-$p$ subgroup $Q$ to exist.

Put $H=N_G(Q)$. Since $Q$ is characteristic in $D$, $N_G(D)\le H$, so Green correspondence applies. In fact the nonprojective modules in $B$ have a particularly simple correspondence. If $g\notin H$, a nontrivial intersection $D\cap {}^{g}D$ would contain the unique order-$p$ subgroup of both cyclic groups, giving $Q={}^{g}Q$ and hence $g\in H$, a contradiction. Thus every such intersection is trivial. The error modules in induction are projective. In restriction, an intersection $H\cap {}^{g}D$ cannot contain a conjugate of a nontrivial subgroup of $D$ by an element of $H$: such a conjugate contains $Q$, and that would again force ${}^{g}Q=Q$. The general Green correspondence therefore pairs all indecomposable modules with nontrivial module vertex contained in a conjugate of $D$. In particular it pairs the nonprojective modules of $B$ with the nonprojective modules of its Brauer correspondent $b$ in $H$; the block-compatible form of the correspondence selects $b$. Explicitly,where $P$ is projective and the restriction error family is $\mathcal{Y}=\{H\cap {}^{g}D:g\notin H\}$. One should not replace this restriction error term by projectives without an additional argument about $H$.

For the final structure calculation we use the general cyclic-defect structure theorem, which is permitted here as a general fact: the basic algebra of a split block with cyclic defect group is a Brauer tree algebra. Its tree has $e(B)$ edges, one simple module per edge, and exceptional multiplicityFor a one-edge tree the basic algebra presentation is $k[t]/(t^{m+1})$. This is the local presentation of the tree algebra, not an assertion that an arbitrary block with one simple module is automatically uniserial.

With $e(B)=1$ the tree has one edge and $m=p^n-1$. Thus the basic algebra of $B$ isIt has exactly one simple module, $k=A_0/(t)$. Its ideals are precisely $(t^i)$: for any nonzero element, factor out its lowest power of $t$, after which the remaining factor is a unit. The regular projective therefore has the unique submodule chainwith each consecutive factor one-dimensional and simple. A Morita equivalence from $A_0$ to $B$ preserves simple modules, projective covers, submodule lattices and composition length. HenceIn the split setting one may also write $B\cong M_{{\dim }_{k}S}(A_0)$. The projective cover has $p^n$ composition factors all isomorphic to $S$, so its vector-space dimension is $p^n{\dim }_{k}S$, not generally $p^n$.

There is also an elementary reason why the uniserial conclusion follows once the one-simple-module conclusion and finite type are known. If the basic local algebra had $\dim J/J^2\ge 2$, quotienting its radical square and all but two generators would give $k[x,y]/(x,y{)}^2$. The two-dimensional parameter family from Question 3(b) would then give infinitely many indecomposables. Thus $J/J^2$ is one-dimensional. Nakayama lemma makes $J$ generated by one element $t$, so its powers yield a chain and the basic algebra is $k[t]/(t^r)$. The cyclic-defect calculation above identifies $r=p^n$. This explains why finite representation type rules out branching in this projective cover.

Schur's lemma says that a nonzero intertwiner between irreducible representations is an isomorphism; over $\mathbb{C}$, every endomorphism of a finite-dimensional irreducible representation is scalar. To prove the Schur lemma, let $T:V\to W$ be a intertwining operator between irreducible representations. Its kernel and image of a linear map are invariant. If $T\ne 0$, irreducibility forces $\ker T=0$ and $\mathrm{im}T=W$. This proves the first assertion over any field. In particular the endomorphisms of an irreducible representation form a division ring.

When $V$ is finite-dimensional over an algebraically closed field, an endomorphism $T$ has an eigenvalue $\lambda$. The endomorphism $T-\lambda I$ has nonzero kernel. By the first assertion it must be zero, so $T=\lambda I$. Consequently, for complex finite-dimensional irreducible representations, the space of intertwining operators has dimension zero for nonisomorphic representations and dimension one for isomorphic representations.

Every finite-dimensional representation of a complex semisimple Lie algebra is completely reducible. We prove the Weyl complete reducibility theorem using the allowed Casimir operator facts, without assuming a splitting in advance. For dual bases $x_i,x^i$ with respect to the Killing form, the Casimir elementis central in the universal enveloping algebra. Hence its Casimir operator $C_M={\sum }_i{\rho }_M(x_i){\rho }_M(x^i)$ commutes with the action on every Lie algebra representation $M$ and is compatible with subrepresentations, quotient representations, and intertwining operators. On the trivial Lie algebra representation it acts by zero. On every nontrivial finite-dimensional Irreducible Lie algebra representation it acts by a nonzero scalar.

For clarity, the last fact can be expressed by the Casimir eigenvalue formula: on an irreducible with dominant integral weight $\lambda$, the scalar is $(\lambda ,\lambda +2\rho )$, with the inner product induced by the Killing form and $\rho$ the half-sum of positive roots. On the real span of the weights this inner product is positive definite, and the scalar is positive for $\lambda \ne 0$. For a semisimple Lie algebra with several simple factors the scalars add, so a nontrivial representation still gives a nonzero scalar. These are properties of the Casimir operator being used here.

First establish Casimir splitting of a trivial quotient. Supposeis a short exact sequence of finite-dimensional Lie algebra representations, with trivial quotient. The generalized eigenspaces of $C_E$ are invariant, soEach $E_c$ with $c\ne 0$ maps to zero under $q$: applying a sufficiently large power of $C_E-cI$ and using $C_{\mathbb{C}}=0$ gives $(-c{)}^{r}q(e)=0$. Thus $q(E_0)=\mathbb{C}$.

Take a composition series of a module of $E_0$. The Casimir operator is nilpotent on $E_0$, so its scalar on every irreducible composition factor is zero. The stated Casimir operator property makes every such factor trivial. In a basis adapted to the composition series of a module, the image of $\mathfrak{g}$ on $E_0$ therefore consists of strictly upper triangular matrices, so that image is solvable. The allowed fact that a semisimple Lie algebra acts trivially on every one-dimensional representation implies that $\mathfrak{g}$ is a perfect Lie algebra: otherwise a nonzero linear functional on $\mathfrak{g}/[\mathfrak{g},\mathfrak{g}]$ would define a nontrivial one-dimensional Lie algebra representation. Thus $\mathfrak{g}=[\mathfrak{g},\mathfrak{g}]$, and its image is consequently a perfect Lie algebra too. A perfect Lie algebra that is also a solvable Lie algebra is zero, since its derived series of a Lie algebra is constant until it vanishes. Hence $\mathfrak{g}$ acts trivially on $E_0$. Choose $e\in E_0$ with $q(e)=1$. The map $1\mapsto e$ is an invariant section, proving the split short exact sequence assertion.

Now let $W\subseteq V$ be any nonzero subrepresentation. On the Hom representation $\mathrm{Hom}(V,W)$ the action isConsider the invariant subspaceRestriction produces a short exact sequenceSurjectivity follows by extending $I_W$ to a linear map on $V$. The quotient is trivial, because $I_W$ commutes with the action on $W$. The preceding Casimir splitting of a trivial quotient yields an invariant $p:V\to W$ with $p{|}_W=I_W$. Thusand $\ker p$ is invariant. The zero subrepresentation also has a complement. Repeatedly splitting off an irreducible subrepresentation now gives a direct sum of irreducibles, proving the Weyl complete reducibility theorem.

A derivation of a Lie algebra is a linear map $D:\mathfrak{g}\to \mathfrak{g}$ satisfying the Leibniz ruleThe space $\mathrm{Der}(\mathfrak{g})$ is a vector subspace of $\mathrm{End}(\mathfrak{g})$. Equip it with the commutator $[D,E]=DE-ED$. Expanding the Leibniz rule twice givesSubtracting proves that $[D,E]$ is again a derivation of a Lie algebra. Antisymmetry and the Jacobi identity hold for the commutator in every associative endomorphism algebra, so this defines the derivation Lie algebra.

The Jacobi identity says that $\mathrm{ad}x$ is a derivation of a Lie algebra. Moreover, for $D\in \mathrm{Der}(\mathfrak{g})$,soThis makes $\mathrm{ad}\mathfrak{g}$ an ideal of a Lie algebra in $\mathrm{Der}(\mathfrak{g})$.

Finally suppose $\mathfrak{g}$ is semisimple. Let $\mathfrak{g}$ act on $\mathrm{Der}(\mathfrak{g})$ by $x\cdot D=[\mathrm{ad}x,D]$. The Weyl complete reducibility theorem supplies an invariant complement $M$ to $\mathrm{ad}\mathfrak{g}$. For $D\in M$, invariance gives $[\mathrm{ad}x,D]\in M$, while the ideal identity above gives $[\mathrm{ad}x,D]\in \mathrm{ad}\mathfrak{g}$. Their intersection is zero, so $\mathrm{ad}(Dx)=0$ for every $x$. The center of a Lie algebra of a semisimple Lie algebra is zero, hence $Dx=0$ for every $x$, and $M=0$. ThereforeEvery derivation of a Lie algebra is inner, and the element giving it is unique because the center of a Lie algebra vanishes.