Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2015 / ii / Paper 2 / 15F / i / Solution

The symmetric power $S^{n}V$ is the quotient of $V^{\otimes n}$ identifying tensors which differ by permutation of the factors. The exterior power ${\Lambda }^{n}V$ is the alternating quotient, with a tensor having repeated equal factors set to zero. Both quotients inherit the given group action. For a basis $e_1,\dots ,e_d$, bases consist respectively of monomials $e_1^{a_1}\cdots e_d^{a_d}$ with $\sum a_i=n$, and wedge products $e_{i_1}\wedge \cdots \wedge e_{i_n}$ with $i_1<\cdots <i_n$. Thuswith the second dimension zero for $n>d$.

A finite-order group element is diagonalizable over $\mathbb{C}$, because its minimal polynomial divides $X^m-1$, which has no repeated roots. Choose an eigenbasis with eigenvalues ${\lambda }_1,\dots ,{\lambda }_d$. The induced eigenvalues, including multiplicities, areThe zeroth powers are the one-dimensional trivial representation, with the empty product equal to $1$.