Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2017 / iii / Paper 103 / 4 / c / i / Solution

Let $P$ be the averaging linear mapFor a unitary representation of a finite group, $P$ is the orthogonal projection onto the invariant subspace $V^G$, and $P\rho (h)=\rho (h)P=P$. Applying this to $\rho (g)v=\lambda v$ gives $Pv=\lambda Pv$. Since $\lambda \ne 1$, $Pv=0$. The vector $v$ is a cyclic vector for a group representation, so its translates span $V$, and every translate also has projection zero. Thus $P=0$ andThis is the cyclic eigenvector obstruction to invariant vectors. Unitarity also gives a direct proof by pairing $v$ with an invariant vector and then pairing every translate; the averaging proof makes the role of cyclicity especially transparent.