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Fix an even weight and use the determinant-normalized slash operator for modular formsIt is unchanged by positive scalar multiples of $A$ and satisfies $(f|A)|B=f|AB$. The determinant-n matrix representatives for Hecke operators areIndeed, integer row operations with determinant one send the first column of an integral determinant-$n$ matrix to $(a,0{)}^t$, with $a>0$; the second diagonal entry is $d=n/a>0$, and a row shear reduces $b$ modulo $d$. This gives unique representatives of the left modular-group orbits.

Define the Hecke operator byThe set of integral matrices of determinant $n$ is stable under right multiplication by the modular group. Right multiplication therefore permutes its left orbits, proving the modular transformation law for $T_{n}f$. Each summand is holomorphic in the upper half-plane. Its imaginary argument tends to infinity at the cusp, so the formula preserves cusp holomorphy and maps $M_k$ to itself and $S_k$ to itself.

Expand each summand in q. The finite sum over $b$ vanishes unless the Fourier index is divisible by $d$, when it equals $d$. The coefficient at $q^m$ then receives a contribution for each $a\mid \gcd (m,n)$, giving the Fourier coefficients of a composite-index Hecke operator formulaFor $m=0$ interpret the sum over all divisors of $n$, so the constant coefficient is ${\sigma }_{k-1}(n)a_0(f)$. In particular $a_1(T_{n}f)=a_n(f)$ and integral coefficients are preserved.

Here is a useful direct derivation of the Hecke multiplication relations. On formal Fourier series put $U_{p}f={\sum }_m{a}_{pm}{q}^m$ and $V_{p}f=f(q^p)$. They obey $U_p{V}_p=1$, although $V_p{U}_p$ is generally not the identity. The coefficient formula givesMultiplying by $T_p=U_p+p^{k-1}{V}_p$ and using $U_p{V}_p=1$ separates the terms with $j=0$ from the others and yieldsFor distinct primes, all the relevant shift operators commute. Thus $T_m{T}_n=T_{mn}$ when $\gcd (m,n)=1$, and each prime-power operator is a polynomial in its prime operator. This proves commutativity. Induction on the smaller of two prime exponents, using the displayed recurrence, gives $T_{p^r}{T}_{p^s}={\sum }_{j=0}^{\min (r,s)}{p}^{j(k-1)}{T}_{p^{r+s-2j}}$. Factoring general indices into primes then provesThe auxiliary shifts need not themselves preserve the level-one form space; they are used only to prove identities of coefficient sequences.

For cusp forms, the Petersson inner product isIt converges by exponential cusp decay, is positive-definite, and makes the Hecke operators self-adjoint. For the change-of-variable argument, the determinant-normalized slash action compensates exactly for the change in $y^k$, while hyperbolic area is invariant. Integrating a correspondence term in the opposite direction replaces its matrix by its inverse. The adjugate $A^{\#}=n{A}^{-1}$ is again an integral matrix of determinant $n$; it has the same slash action as $A^{-1}$, because scalar matrices act trivially. Summing over the two sets of representatives, equivalently over the common finite covering domains of the correspondence, interchanges $f$ and $g$ and proves $⟨T_{n}f,g⟩=⟨f,T_{n}g⟩$. This explains Hecke operators are self-adjoint for the Petersson inner product with the present normalization.

Commuting self-adjoint operators on the finite-dimensional cusp space have a common orthonormal eigenbasis: diagonalize one, restrict the others to its invariant eigenspaces and repeat. If $f$ is a nonzero common Hecke eigenform, $a_n(f)=a_1(T_{n}f)={\lambda }_n{a}_1(f)$. The first coefficient cannot vanish, since then every coefficient would vanish. Normalize it to one. The eigenvalue is then ${\lambda }_n=a_n(f)$, and the common eigenspace is one-dimensional because all its normalized Fourier coefficients are fixed. The eigenvalues are real by self-adjointness and are algebraic integers, since the Hecke operators act by integer matrices on the integral cusp-form lattice from Question 1. The integral echelon basis and the operator identity there also show that $T_1,\dots ,T_{d-1}$ are an integral basis of the integral Hecke algebra of level-one cusp forms; independence follows by evaluating their first-coefficient functionals on $g_1,\dots ,g_{d-1}$.

The eigenform's coefficient relations areThey give the Euler product of a Hecke eigenformin a sufficiently far right half-plane. The Mellin transform of a cusp-form L-function completes this to $\Lambda (f,s)=(2\pi {)}^{-s}\Gamma (s)L(f,s)={\int }_0^{\infty }f(iy)y^{s-1}dy$. Splitting at one and using $f(i/y)=i^k{y}^{k}f(iy)$ givesExponential decay makes this an entire function of $s$, and the formula proves $\Lambda (f,s)=i^k\Lambda (f,k-s)$.

On the noncuspidal line in positive even weights $k\ge 4$, the normalized Eisenstein series has eigenvalues ${\sigma }_{k-1}(n)$, as follows from the same divisor formula for its coefficients; $M_k=\mathbb{C}{E}_k\oplus S_k$. As a cuspidal example, $S_{12}$ is spanned by the normalized modular discriminant. Its coefficients $\tau (n)$ are the Hecke eigenvalues, and the recurrence gives $\tau (4)=\tau (2{)}^2-2^{11}=-1472$ from $\tau (2)=-24$. Thus the Hecke theory converts analytic forms into multiplicative arithmetic data.

Write $A,B$ for the two given congruence subgroups, to distinguish them from the notation ${\Gamma }_1(N)$. Their double coset has a finite decompositionFiniteness follows because $B\cap {\alpha }^{-1}A\alpha$ has finite index in $B$. To check this without assuming integrality of $\alpha$, clear its denominators: a sufficiently deep principal congruence subgroup lies both in $B$ and, after conjugation by $\alpha$, in $A$. Representatives for $(B\cap {\alpha }^{-1}A\alpha )\backslash B$ give the displayed decomposition.

Using the Hecke-normalized rational slash operator from the PDF, define the double-coset operator on modular forms byReplacing ${\alpha }_j$ by $\gamma {\alpha }_j$ for $\gamma \in A$ changes no term because $f[\gamma {]}_k=f$. Right multiplication by $\beta \in B$ permutes these left cosets, so $([A\alpha B]f)[\beta {]}_k=[A\alpha B]f$. Each summand is holomorphic in the complex upper half-plane. At any rational modular cusp, factor ${\alpha }_j\rho =\sigma C$ with $\sigma \in S{L}_2(\mathbb{Z})$ and $C$ upper triangular of positive slope, as in 2(i). The cusp expansion of $f[\sigma {]}_k$ has no negative terms, and substitution by $C$ preserves boundedness. The sum is periodic in a cusp coordinate for $B$, so it has a removable singularity there. This provesIf $f$ vanishes at all its cusps, the same argument gives vanishing for the image too.

Now set $\Gamma ={\Gamma }_1(N)$. For an integer $d$ prime to $N$, choose ${\sigma }_d\in {\Gamma }_0(N)$ with lower-right entry congruent to $d$ modulo $N$. Such a lift exists by choosing $a$ with $ad\equiv 1(\mathrm{mod}N)$ and using $\left(\begin{array}{cc}a& (ad-1)/N\\ N& d\end{array}\right)$. The subgroup $\Gamma$ is normal in ${\Gamma }_0(N)$, and its quotient is $(\mathbb{Z}/N\mathbb{Z}{)}^{\times }$ through the lower-right entry. Define the diamond operator byDifferent lifts differ by a member of $\Gamma$, so this is well defined. The diamond operators satisfy $⟨d⟩⟨e⟩=⟨de⟩$.

For a prime $p\nmid N$, put $A_p=\mathrm{diag}(1,p)$ and define the Hecke operatorChoose $a,b\in \mathbb{Z}$ with $ap-bN=1$ and set ${\sigma }_p=\left(\begin{array}{cc}a& b\\ N& p\end{array}\right)$. A complete set of left-coset representatives isHere $A_j=A_p{T}^j$ and $B_p=A_p\left(\begin{array}{cc}ap& b\\ N& 1\end{array}\right)$, with both right factors in $\Gamma$. To prove completeness, $H=\Gamma \cap A_p^{-1}\Gamma A_p$ consists of the members of $\Gamma$ whose upper-right entry is divisible by $p$. Reduction of $\Gamma$ modulo $p$ is onto $S{L}_2({\mathbb{F}}_p)$: use the Chinese remainder theorem to impose identity modulo $N$ and any chosen determinant-one matrix modulo $p$, then lift to $S{L}_2(\mathbb{Z})$ by elementary matrices. Reduction of $H$ is the lower triangular subgroup. Its left cosets correspond to the $p+1$ lines of top rows in ${\mathbb{F}}_p^2$. The right factors $T^j$ give lines $[1:j]$, while the last factor gives $[0:b]$ with $b\not\equiv 0(\mathrm{mod}p)$. They are all the lines, proving the decomposition.

The printed slash normalization now gives $f[A_j{]}_k=p^{-1}f((\tau +j)/p)$ andThus

To prove commutation, use the marked-lattice model of a modular form. A pair $(L,t)$ consists of a lattice and a point of exact order $N$ modulo $L$, and a weight-$k$ function satisfies $F(uL,ut)=u^{-k}F(L,t)$. In a basis $L=\mathbb{Z}\tau +\mathbb{Z}$ with $t=1/N$, it represents $f(\tau )$. The diamond operator multiplies $t$ by $d$. The same Hecke operator isEvery marked point retains exact order $N$: multiplication by $p$ is invertible on its cyclic group, since $p\nmid N$. This lattice sum agrees with the displayed slash sum. Its $p$ overlattices with basis $((\tau +j)/p,1)$ give the first terms, and the remaining one with basis $(\tau ,1/p)$ has normalized marked point $p/N$, giving $p^{k-1}(⟨p⟩f)(p\tau )$. Multiplying the mark by $d$ commutes with passage to each overlattice and does not change the set of overlattices. Hence

Finally write $f={\sum }_{m\ge 0}{a}_m(f)q^m$. The first term of $T_p$ contains the finite averageIt therefore contributes $a_{np}(f)$ to the coefficient of $q^n$. The second term contributes $p^{k-1}{a}_{n/p}(⟨p⟩f)$ if $p\mid n$, and zero otherwise. This proves the good-prime and bad-prime Hecke coefficient formula at a good prime, without assuming that $f$ has a particular character:where a nonintegral coefficient index means zero. For $n=0$ both terms are retained. On a diamond-character eigenspace the second term becomes $\chi (p)p^{k-1}{a}_{n/p}(f)$.

Write $w=2k$. For a positive-determinant real matrix $A=\left(\begin{array}{cc}a& b\\ c& d\end{array}\right)$, extend the slash operator for modular forms byLet ${\mathcal{M}}_n$ be the integral matrices of determinant $n>0$. Each left $S{L}_2(\mathbb{Z})$ orbit has a unique representative $\left(\begin{array}{cc}a& b\\ 0& d\end{array}\right)$ with $ad=n$, $a,d>0$, $0\le b<d$. To obtain it, the Euclidean algorithm on the first column produces $(a,0)$ with $a>0$; the determinant fixes $d$, and a row shear reduces $b$ modulo $d$. This also proves uniqueness.

Define the normalized Hecke operatorRight multiplication by $S{L}_2(\mathbb{Z})$ permutes these left orbits, and the slash operation is associative. Hence the sum satisfies the same modular form transformation law. It is holomorphic on $\mathbb{H}$ since each argument stays there.

For $f={\sum }_{r\ge 0}c(r)q^r$, summing the phase $e^{2\pi irb/d}$ over $b$ gives zero unless $d\mid r$, and gives $d$ when $d\mid r$. For the resulting term to contribute to $q^m$, one needs $a\mid m$ and $r=dm/a=nm/a^2$. Its scalar factor is $n^{w-1}{d}^{1-w}=a^{w-1}$. Thuswhere $\gcd (n,0)=n$. All powers are nonnegative, so the sum is holomorphic at infinity and belongs to $M_w$; level one has only this modular cusp class. Its constant coefficient is ${\sigma }_{w-1}(n)c(0)$, so modular cusp forms are preserved. This is the full Fourier coefficients of a composite-index Hecke operator formula, including the constant term.

The Hecke operators organize modular forms simultaneously by their transformation law and their Fourier coefficients. Work with $\Gamma =S{L}_2(\mathbb{Z})$, $M_k$ its space of weight-$k$ modular forms, and $S_k$ its cusp form subspace, with even $k\ge 4$. Odd weights give zero spaces. The normalization below makes the first coefficient of $T_{n}f$ equal to the $n$th coefficient of $f$, which is the key link between operators and arithmetic.

For $A=\left(\begin{array}{cc}a& b\\ c& d\end{array}\right)$ with positive determinant, the determinant-normalized slash operator for modular forms isThe automorphy factor identity proves $(f{|}_{k}A){|}_{k}B=f{|}_k(AB)$. Positive scalar matrices act trivially. Let ${\mathcal{A}}_n$ be the integral matrices of determinant $n>0$. Left multiplication by $\Gamma$ reduces their first column, by Bezout identity, to $(a,0)$ with $a>0$; the determinant then gives $d=n/a>0$. A row shear makes $0\le b<d$. These are unique determinant-n matrix representatives for Hecke operators, so defineRight multiplication by any element of $\Gamma$ permutes these left cosets. The slash operator for modular forms identity therefore proves that $T_{n}f$ has the same modular transformation law as $f$. Each summand is holomorphic on the upper half-plane. Its cusp behavior follows explicitly from the coefficient calculation below, so $T_n$ preserves both $M_k$ and $S_k$.

Insert $f={\sum }_{r\ge 0}{a}_r{q}^r$ in the sum. The finite sum over $b$ is zero unless $d\mid r$, in which case it is $d$. Writing $r=d\ell$ leaves the term $a_{d\ell }{q}^{a\ell }$ with multiplier $n^{k-1}{d}^{1-k}=a^{k-1}$. Thus the Fourier coefficients of a composite-index Hecke operator areFor $m=0$ use $\gcd (0,n)=n$. In particular the constant coefficient becomes ${\sigma }_{k-1}(n)a_0$, so cusp forms remain cusp forms, andfor a prime number $p$. The absence of negative powers proves cusp holomorphy. Notice that no primality assumption is needed in the composite-index formula.

The Hecke multiplication relations can be derived directly, rather than assumed from the coset description. On Fourier series define auxiliary maps $U_p(\sum a_m{q}^m)=\sum a_{pm}{q}^m$ and $V_{p}f(q)=f(q^p)$. They need not separately preserve $M_k$, but $U_p{V}_p=1$. With $c=p^{k-1}$, the coefficient formula givesMultiplying on the left by $U_p+c{V}_p$, the term $j=0$ in the $U_p$ sum contributes $U_p^{r+1}$; the terms with $j\ge 1$ become $c^j{V}_p^{j-1}{U}_p^{r-j}$. Together with the $c{V}_p$ sum this is exactly $T_{p^{r+1}}+c{T}_{p^{r-1}}$. Hence the Hecke prime-power recurrence from q-shift operators isFor coprime $m,n$, substituting the coefficient formula twice gives a sum over $a\mid \gcd (m,r)$ and $b\mid \gcd (n,r)$ with coefficient $(ab{)}^{k-1}{a}_{mnr/(ab{)}^2}(f)$. The divisors $a,b$ correspond uniquely to a divisor $ab\mid \gcd (mn,r)$, so $T_m{T}_n=T_{mn}$. The prime-power recurrence, by induction on the smaller exponent, givesCombining the coprime and prime-power formulas provesIn particular the Hecke operators commute, and the modular Hecke algebra is generated by the prime operators.

The analytic reason for simultaneous diagonalization is the Petersson inner productwhich is positive definite on $S_k$ and convergent because of exponential cusp decay. Here is the adjoint argument. For a matrix $A$, set $H_A=\Gamma \cap A^{-1}\Gamma A$. The left cosets in $\Gamma A\Gamma$ are represented by $A\gamma$ with $\gamma \in H_A\backslash \Gamma$. Unfolding this finite coset sum in the Petersson inner product givesUnder $z=A\tau$, hyperbolic area is unchanged and the determinant factors in the slash operator for modular forms giveThe integration group becomes $A{H}_A{A}^{-1}=\Gamma \cap A\Gamma A^{-1}$. Folding this finite cover back to $\Gamma \backslash \mathbb{H}$ identifies the adjoint with the correspondence for $A^{-1}$. For $A\in {\mathcal{A}}_n$, the matrix $\mathrm{adj}(A)=n{A}^{-1}$ is again integral with determinant $n$; scalar matrices act trivially, and adjugation permutes the double cosets making up ${\mathcal{A}}_n$. The real normalizing factor $n^{k/2-1}$ is unchanged. Thus this proves that Hecke operators are self-adjoint for the Petersson inner product:The valence formula for the modular group makes $S_k$ a finite-dimensional vector space. Commuting self-adjoint operators on a finite-dimensional inner product space have a common orthogonal eigenbasis: diagonalize one operator, use commutativity to preserve each of its eigenspaces, and repeat within those spaces. Therefore $S_k$ has a basis of Hecke eigenforms, with real Hecke operator eigenvalues.

If $f$ is a common Hecke eigenform, say $T_{n}f={\lambda }_{n}f$, its first Fourier coefficient cannot vanish: $a_1=0$ would imply $a_n=a_1(T_{n}f)={\lambda }_n{a}_1=0$ for every $n$. Normalize $a_1=1$. Then the Hecke operator eigenvalue ${\lambda }_n$ is precisely the Fourier coefficient $a_n$. The Hecke multiplication relations becomeConsequently the coefficients are multiplicative at coprime indices, and their local generating function satisfiesThis gives the Euler product of a Hecke eigenformin a half-plane of absolute convergence. The Fourier coefficient bound for a cusp form already supplies such a half-plane; Question 4 improves it to $\mathrm{Re}s>(k+1)/2$.

The L-function of a cusp form also has an analytic description independent of the Hecke eigenform condition. Termwise Mellin transform in an initial right half-plane givesAt infinity the cusp form decays exponentially. Modular inversion gives $f(i/y)=(iy{)}^{k}f(iy)$, so at zero it is $O(y^{-k}{e}^{-2\pi /y})$. The integral therefore converges locally uniformly for every $s$, continuing $\Lambda$ to an entire function. Changing $y$ to $1/y$ provesFor a normalized Hecke eigenform, the Euler product of a Hecke eigenform and this functional equation describe the same completed L-function of a cusp form.

There is also an integral arithmetic structure. One standard consequence of the level-one dimension formula and the valence formula for the modular group is the integral triangular basis of level-one modular forms: if $k=12m+s$ with $s\in \{0,4,6,8,10,14\}$, choose $F_s=1,E_4,E_6,E_4^2,E_4{E}_6,E_4^2{E}_6$ respectively. Thenform a basis of $M_k$, and the terms $1\le j\le m$ form a basis of $S_k$. Their first nonzero terms are $q^j$ with coefficient one and all coefficients are integers. Successive elimination of coefficients of $q,q^2,\dots ,q^m$ shows that these cusp basis elements generate exactly the lattice of rational cusp forms with integral Fourier coefficients. The composite-index coefficient formula preserves this lattice, so each $T_n$ has an integral matrix on it. Its characteristic polynomial is monic with integral coefficients. This proves that Hecke eigenvalues are algebraic integers; self-adjointness also makes every root of that characteristic polynomial real. The field generated by the eigenvalues is a finite totally real number field: a finite set of operators spans the finite-dimensional rational modular Hecke algebra, and every conjugate of each eigenvalue remains a root of its real-rooted characteristic polynomial.

Two basic examples connect the operator theory to familiar modular forms. The normalized Eisenstein series $E_k$ has coefficients proportional to ${\sigma }_{k-1}(n)$. At a prime number its coefficient formula useswhere the second term is zero unless $p\mid m$. This follows by writing $m=p^{r}u$ with $p\nmid u$ and summing a finite geometric series. It proves $T_p{E}_k=(1+p^{k-1})E_k$, and the Hecke multiplication relations give $T_n{E}_k={\sigma }_{k-1}(n)E_k$. Meanwhile $S_{12}=\mathbb{C}\Delta$ implies $T_n\Delta =\tau (n)\Delta$, because $a_1(\Delta )=1$. Thus the Ramanujan tau function is multiplicative and satisfies $\tau (p^{r+1})=\tau (p)\tau (p^r)-p^{11}\tau (p^{r-1})$. For example, $\tau (2)=-24$ gives $\tau (4)=(-24{)}^2-2^{11}=-1472$. This illustrates how Hecke operators turn analytic Fourier coefficients into a coherent arithmetic system.

Use the determinant-normalized slash operator and the usual Hecke operator normalization. A normalized eigenform is a nonzero cusp form $f={\sum }_{r\ge 1}{a}_r{q}^r$ with $a_1=1$ and $T_{n}f=\lambda (n)f$ for every $n$. We first establish the operator facts needed here, rather than assume the Hecke multiplication relations.

Integer matrices of determinant $n$ have the determinant-n matrix representatives for Hecke operators ${\gamma }_{a,b,d}=\left(\begin{array}{cc}a& b\\ 0& d\end{array}\right)$, with $ad=n$ and $0\le b<d$. Integer row operations give these representatives: the Euclidean algorithm reduces the first column to $(a,0)$, and a shear reduces $b$ modulo $d$. Right multiplication by the modular group permutes the left cosets, so $T_{n}f=n^{k/2-1}{\sum }_{ad=n}{\sum }_{b\mathrm{mod}d}f{|}_k{\gamma }_{a,b,d}$ is modular. Rational changes of coordinate preserve cusp vanishing, so it remains a cusp form. Substituting its Fourier expansion of a modular form and summing $e^{2\pi irb/d}$ givesIn particular $a_1(T_{n}f)=a_n(f)$, and the normalization gives $\lambda (n)=a_n(f)$ for every $n$.

For coprime $u,v$, applying this coefficient formula twice amounts to choosing independently a divisor of $\gcd (m,u)$ and one of $\gcd (m,v)$. Their product runs exactly once through the divisors of $\gcd (m,uv)$, with the same factor $d^{k-1}$ and coefficient index. Thus $T_u{T}_v=T_{uv}$. For a prime $p$, put $P=p^{k-1}$ and $\nu =v_p(m)$. The coefficient of $q^m$ in $T_{p^e}f$ isThe coefficient in $T_p{T}_{p^e}f$ is $A_e(pm)+P{A}_e(m/p)$, the second summand being zero if $p\nmid m$. Expanding the two finite sums and matching their endpoints gives $A_{e+1}(m)+P{A}_{e-1}(m)$ for $e\ge 1$. Equality of all coefficients proves $T_p{T}_{p^e}=T_{p^{e+1}}+p^{k-1}{T}_{p^{e-1}}$. Applying these identities to the nonzero eigenvector $f$ yields

For a prime number $p$, the defining finite sum for the Hecke operator simplifies toThe first summand has no $q^1$ term. In the second, summing the $p$th roots of unity selects precisely the terms whose index is divisible by $p$, and its $q^1$ coefficient is $a_p$. Comparing with $T_{p}f=\lambda (p)f$, using $a_1=1$, gives $\boxed{\lambda (p)=a_p}$. This also follows from the general coefficient computation in part (a).

First the eigenvalues of Hecke operators are real. Here is the needed Petersson inner product argument: unfold the finite coset sum defining $T_n$ into its correspondence domain, then change variables by each matrix. The determinant-normalized slash action preserves $y^{k}dxdy/y^2$ in the paired integrand, and transfers a representative to its inverse. Multiplying that inverse by the positive scalar $n$ gives its adjugate without changing the slash action. Adjugation reverses the integer determinant-$n$ correspondence, so the resulting sum is again $T_n$. Consequently $⟨T_{n}f,g⟩=⟨f,T_{n}g⟩$. Taking $g=f$ proves reality of $\lambda (n)$, since $⟨f,f⟩>0$.

Fix one prime $p$ and set $x=\lambda (p)/p^{(k-1)/2}$ and $b_e=\lambda (p^e)/p^{e(k-1)/2}$. The Hecke multiplication relations proved in (a) give $b_0=1$, $b_1=x$ and $b_{e+2}=x{b}_{e+1}-b_e$. The distinct-root assumption excludes $x=\pm 2$.

If $|x|<2$, write $x=2\cos \theta$, $0<\theta <\pi$. Solving the linear recurrence gives $b_e=\sin ((e+1)\theta )/\sin \theta$. If $\theta /(2\pi )$ is rational, infinitely many $e$ satisfy $(e+1)\theta \equiv \theta (\mathrm{mod}2\pi )$, hence $b_e=1$. If it is irrational, density of the corresponding irrational rotation gives infinitely many $e$ in the open arc where $\sin ((e+1)\theta )>\sin \theta /2$.

If $|x|>2$, let $\beta ,{\beta }^{-1}$ be the real roots of $X^2-xX+1$, choosing $|\beta |>1$. Then $b_e=({\beta }^{e+1}-{\beta }^{-e-1})/(\beta -{\beta }^{-1})$. Its even-index terms are positive and tend to infinity, whether $\beta$ is positive or negative. Thus the prime-power coefficients of a level-one eigenform are often large and positive, and in either case

Let $f_j(z)=f(p^{j}z)$ for $0\le j\le r$, and write $a=a_p(f)$ and $W_{M}f=\epsilon f$. The Hecke operator $U_p$ acts on the Fourier expansion by $\sum a_n{q}^n\mapsto \sum a_{pn}{q}^n$. Since $p\mid M$, the primitive relation is $a_{pn}=a_p{a}_n$. Hence $U_p{f}_0=a{f}_0$ and $U_p{f}_j=f_{j-1}$ for $j\ge 1$. Substituting the argument directly in the Fricke involution givesThus, in the basis $e_j=p^{jk/2}{f}_j$, put $b=p^{k/2}$ and let $R$ be the reversal matrix, $R{e}_j=e_{r-j}$. The matrices areIf the exam's rescaling $w_N=N^{k-1}{W}_N$ is used, multiply the second matrix by $N^{k-1}$.

Here is an explicit irreducibility argument for the prime-power old block at a bad prime. Any nonzero common invariant complex subspace $V$ contains an eigenvector of the restricted $U_p$. Its eigenvalue is either $a$ or zero. If $a\ne 0$, the $a$-eigenspace is $\mathbb{C}{e}_0$; containing it gives $e_r$ by reversal, then every $e_j$ by successive powers of $U_p$. The kernel of $U_p$ is $\mathbb{C}(e_1-(b/a)e_0)$. If $V$ instead contains this vector, reversal and $U_p^r$ giveThis is nonzero: the bad-prime eigenvalue of a trivial-character newform satisfies $a^2=p^{k-2}$ when $p\parallel M$, and $a=0$ when $p^2\mid M$, whereas $b^2=p^k$. If $a=0$, the kernel is already $\mathbb{C}{e}_0$, and the same reversal-and-shift argument works. Therefore the block has no nonzero proper subspace invariant under $U_p$ and the Fricke operator, and hence none invariant under the full ring in the question.

For cusps $\alpha ,\beta \in {\mathbb{P}}^1(\mathbb{Q})$, the modular symbol $\{\alpha ,\beta \}$ is the oriented path class in $H_1(X(\Gamma ),C;\mathbb{Z})$, where $C$ is the finite cusp set. Reversing paths changes the sign, concatenating paths gives $\{\alpha ,\beta \}+\{\beta ,\gamma \}=\{\alpha ,\gamma \}$, and the group identifies translated paths. A continued fraction expansion subdivides any rational-endpoint path into determinant-one edges. Representatives of the finitely many cosets therefore supply Manin symbols $[g]=\{g0,g\infty \}$. With inversion $S$ and translation $T$, reversing an edge and taking the boundary of an ideal triangle giveThese relations give a finite rational linear algebra presentation. Integral computation additionally removes the elliptic torsion in this naive presentation; the actual relative homology group of the compact surface is torsion-free.

The boundary of $\{\alpha ,\beta \}$ is $[\beta ]-[\alpha ]$ in $H_0(C)$. Its kernel is $H_1(X;\mathbb{Q})$ by the long exact sequence of a pair. A Hecke operator acts by summing the images of each path under its finite determinant-$n$ correspondence. Rational endpoints are again rational, so continued fractions reduce each image back to Manin symbols. Finite row reduction produces rational matrices for the relative symbols and for the boundary kernel. Integration of a weight-two cusp form against these absolute cycles is compatible with the Hecke action. The resulting decompositionexplains the relation between these matrices and cusp forms. Strictly, a rational matrix on absolute homology is not automatically a rational matrix on the holomorphic summand in an arbitrary complex basis. For subgroups preserved by real conjugation, the conjugation eigenspaces provide rational models of the cusp-form representation. More generally one should specify a compatible rational model or use the doubled homological representation. This distinction matters in interpreting the essay's rationality claim for an arbitrary subgroup; the algorithm on homology is always rational.

For the supplied subgroup, use $P=(1736)(254)$ for translation and $Q=(17)(26)(34)$ for inversion, following the PDF's naming. Translation has two cycles, so there are two cusps of widths four and three. Inversion fixes just coset five, giving one elliptic orbit of order two. The order-three product acts with cycles $(1)(253)(467)$ in one of the two equivalent composition conventions, giving one elliptic orbit of order three. Since $Q^2=1$, the central $-I$ acts trivially and the effective index is seven. The genus formula for a modular curve givesThe long exact sequence of a pair now givesOne can see this directly from the symbols. Over $\mathbb{Q}$, $Q$ gives $m_7=-m_1$, $m_6=-m_2$, $m_4=-m_3$ and $m_5=0$. The fixed order-three coset gives $m_1=0$, and the other triangle relations give $m_3=-m_2$. Thus $(m_1,\dots ,m_7)=(0,t,-t,t,0,-t,0)$. After removing elliptic torsion the integral group is free of rank one, agreeing with the surface calculation. Since $g=0$, the absolute boundary kernel and $S_2(\Gamma )$ both vanish: the cusp-form Hecke matrices for this particular example are the empty $0\times 0$ matrices.