# nLab representation theory of the symmetric group

Contents

### Context

#### Representation theory

representation theory

geometric representation theory

# Contents

## Idea

The representation theory of the symmetric groups.

## Properties

### Irreducible representations

In characteristic zero, the irreducible representations of the symmetric group are, up to isomorphism, given by the Specht modules labeled by partitions $\lambda \in Part(n)$ (e.g. Sagan 01, Thm. 2.4.6).

### Dimension of irreps and hook length

Over the complex numbers:

The dimension of the irrep $S^{(\lambda)}$ (Specht module) equals the number of standard Young tableau of shape $\lambda$:

(1)$dim\big(S^{(\lambda)}\big) \;=\; \left\vert sYTableaux_\lambda \right\vert$

(e.g. Sagan, Thm. 2.6.5)

Moreover, the number of standard Young tableaux of shape $\lambda$ is given by the hook length formula

(2)$\left\vert sYTableaux_\lambda \right\vert \;=\; n! \left( \prod_{ { 1 \leq i \leq rows(\lambda) } \atop { 1 \leq j \leq \lambda_i } } \ell hook_\lambda(i,j) \right)^{-1} \,.$

This is due to Frame, Robinson & Thrall 54. Textbook accounts include Stanley 99, Cor. 7.21.6, Sagan 01 Thm. 3.10.2.

Combining (1) with (2) gives the hook length formula for the dimension of the Specht modules

$dim\big(S^{(\lambda)}\big) \;=\; n! \left( \prod_{ { 1 \leq i \leq rows(\lambda) } \atop { 1 \leq j \leq \lambda_i } } \ell hook_\lambda(i,j) \right)^{-1} \,.$

(e.g. James 78, Thm. 20.1)

## References

Textbook accounts:

Notes:

• Yufei Zhao, Young Tableaux and the Representations of the Symmetric Group (pdf, pdf)

Discussion of characters for the symmetric group that depend only on Cayley distance from the neutral element (“block character”):

From the perspective of the seminormal representation:

In relation to quantum information theory:

Last revised on May 19, 2021 at 01:22:39. See the history of this page for a list of all contributions to it.