B3.5

Representation Theory
Part II, 2003

If ρ1:G1GL(V1)\rho_{1}: G_{1} \rightarrow G L\left(V_{1}\right) and ρ2:G2GL(V2)\rho_{2}: G_{2} \rightarrow G L\left(V_{2}\right) are representations of the finite groups G1G_{1} and G2G_{2} respectively, define the tensor product ρ1ρ2\rho_{1} \otimes \rho_{2} as a representation of the group G1×G2G_{1} \times G_{2} and show that its character is given by

χρ1ρ2(g1,g2)=χρ1(g1)χρ2(g2)\chi_{\rho_{1} \otimes \rho_{2}}\left(g_{1}, g_{2}\right)=\chi_{\rho_{1}}\left(g_{1}\right) \chi_{\rho_{2}}\left(g_{2}\right)

Prove that

(a) if ρ1\rho_{1} and ρ2\rho_{2} are irreducible, then ρ1ρ2\rho_{1} \otimes \rho_{2} is an irreducible representation of G1×G2G_{1} \times G_{2};

(b) each irreducible representation of G1×G2G_{1} \times G_{2} is equivalent to a representation ρ1ρ2\rho_{1} \otimes \rho_{2} where each ρi\rho_{i} is irreducible (i=1,2).(i=1,2) .

Is every representation of G1×G2G_{1} \times G_{2} the tensor product of a representation of G1G_{1} and a representation of G2G_{2} ?