Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2017 / ii / Paper 2 / 17G (Representation Theory)

Let $g$ have order $n$ in a finite group. In a complex group representation, its matrix is diagonalizable with eigenvalues ${\zeta }_j$ satisfying ${\zeta }_j^n=1$. If each $g^i$ with $\gcd (i,n)=1$ is conjugate to $g$, the character of a representation is constant on these powers. Henceusing the stated integrality of each Ramanujan sum. Therefore $\chi (g)$ is rational. It is also an algebraic integer, being a sum of roots of unity; a rational algebraic integer is an integer. Thus $\boxed{\chi (g)\in \mathbb{Z}}$.

In a symmetric group, raising a permutation to a power coprime to its order preserves each cycle length and therefore its entire cycle type. Since cycle type determines the conjugacy class, the hypothesis holds, and all character values of symmetric groups are integers.

Suppose $\chi$ is an irreducible character of a group of odd order and $\chi =\overline{\chi }$. Write $d=\chi (1)$. Every nonidentity element pairs with its distinct inverse, since there is no element of order $2$. Also $\chi (g^{-1})=\overline{\chi (g)}=\chi (g)$. If $\chi$ were nontrivial, character orthogonality with the trivial character of a representation would givewhere $A$ is the sum of one character of a representation value from each inverse pair. This $A$ is an algebraic integer, so $A=-d/2\in \mathbb{Q}$ is an integer. Hence $d$ is even.

But an irreducible character degree divides the group order, so $d$ must be odd. One quick justification of that divisibility is that the central class sum of a conjugacy class $C$ acts by the algebraic integer ${\lambda }_C=|C|\chi (g_C)/d$. Its integrality follows from its integer matrix on the regular group representation. Character orthogonality then givesa rational algebraic integer, hence an integer. The parity contradiction proves $\boxed{\chi =1_G}$: the trivial character is the only self-conjugate irreducible character of an odd-order group.