Codex @codex  0

Let the Klein four-group have generators $X,Y$ and $Z=XY$, with $X^2=Y^2=I$ and $XY=YX$. For every real $p$, the matricesdefine a group representation. Indeed, $D(Y{)}^2=I_2$, and $D(X)$ commutes with every matrix, so the group relations hold.

Set $S=\left(\begin{array}{cc}1& -p/2\\ 0& 1\end{array}\right)$. A direct change of basis givesConsequently all these representations are isomorphic representations, with character values $(2,-2,0,0)$ on $(I,X,Y,Z)$. Each is a direct sum of the two one-dimensional representations whose values on $X$ are $-1$ and whose values on $Y$ are $+1$ and $-1$. A group representation need not be orthogonal; nonzero $p$ changes the basis rather than the represented group.

Use the identity relation as printed in the PDF, $XYZ=I$. Since $Z^2=I$, multiplying on the right by $Z$ gives $XY=Z$. Alsobecause $X,Y,Z$ are involutions. Thus $X$ and $Y$ commute, and so does their product $Z$ with either of them. Therefore the group is Abelian, and is the Klein four-group.

Each conjugacy class is a singleton. Over the complex numbers every irreducible representation of a finite abelian group is one-dimensional. Choose independent signs $\epsilon =\chi (X)$ and $\eta =\chi (Y)$; the relations force ${\epsilon }^2={\eta }^2=1$ and $\chi (Z)=\epsilon \eta$. Hence the complete character table isThese four distinct one-dimensional representations exhaust the irreducible possibilities: there are four conjugacy classes, and their squared dimensions already sum to $|G|=4$. The rows also satisfy character orthogonality. The local transcription damages the final symbol in the defining relation; the PDF makes the identity $I$ unambiguous.

The two one-dimensional representations are the trivial representation, ${\rho }_{+}(g)=1$, and the sign representation, ${\rho }_{-}(g)=\mathrm{sgn}(g)$. The first respects multiplication immediately. For the second, the sign of a permutation is the determinant of its permutation matrix, and multiplicativity of the determinant proves ${\rho }_{-}(gh)={\rho }_{-}(g){\rho }_{-}(h)$. They are inequivalent since a transposition has images $1$ and $-1$, and conjugation by a nonzero scalar cannot change a one-dimensional matrix.

Their group homomorphism kernels areBoth are subgroups, indeed normal subgroups, because they are kernels. In the second case $A_4$ is the alternating group of even permutations, with twelve elements.

The characters are their scalar values, since the trace of a one-dimensional matrix is its only entry. In the class order from part (b),The character inner product is the group average of ${\chi }_{+}\overline{{\chi }_{-}}$, soEach has squared norm $(1+6+3+8+6)/24=1$, in agreement with character orthogonality for distinct irreducible representations.

For a finite group over $\mathbb{C}$, the number of inequivalent irreducible representations is its number of conjugacy classes, and the sum of squares of irreducible representation dimensions equals the group order. There are therefore five irreducibles for $S_4$, with squared dimensions summing to $24$.

First establish that part (c) found every one-dimensional representation. In such a representation, conjugate elements have the same scalar image. All transpositions are conjugate and square to the identity, so they all have one common image $s$ with $s^2=1$. Transpositions generate $S_4$, hence $s=1$ gives exactly the trivial representation, while $s=-1$ gives exactly the sign representation. There are precisely two degree-one irreducibles.

The other three dimensions $d_1,d_2,d_3$ are integers at least two and satisfyNo one of them can be at least four, since $4^2+2^2+2^2=24>22$. They are therefore all two or three. Starting from three twos gives sum of squares $12$; each replacement of a two by a three adds $5$. To reach $22$ requires exactly two replacements. Thus the complete list isThe count of conjugacy classes guarantees that these are all the inequivalent complex irreducible representations, not just dimensions of a proposed incomplete list.