Irreducible representations of the Dn group

In summary, the dihedral group ##D_n## does not have an irreducible representation with a dimension higher than two. This can be seen by considering the group's normal Abelian subgroup of index 2 and the action of a representative of the nontrivial coset on a one-dimensional representation. This results in either a one-dimensional or two-dimensional representation for the entire group.
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Robin04
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Is is true that the dihedral group Dn does not have an irreducible representation with a dimension higher than two?
Is is true that the dihedral group ##D_n## does not have an irreducible representation with a dimension higher than two?
 
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You can see that in following way. The group has a normal Abelian subgroup of index 2. If you have an irreducible representation of the dihedral group say ##V##, restrict it to the subgroup, then it is a sum of one dimensional representation ##V=\oplus V_i##. The action of the full group is determined by the action of a representative of the nontrivial coset (remember index two). Pick one of the one dimensional spaces say ##V_1##, the representative either sends it to itself or to another one dimensional subsapce say ##V_2##. Then in the first case ##V_1## is invariant under the full group, in the second case ##V_1\oplus V_2## is. So it must be that ##V## is either one or two dimensional.
 
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1. What is the Dn group?

The Dn group, also known as the dihedral group, is a mathematical group that describes the symmetries of a regular polygon with n sides. It is denoted as Dn, where n represents the number of sides of the polygon.

2. What are irreducible representations?

Irreducible representations are mathematical objects that describe how a group acts on a vector space. In the context of the Dn group, they represent the different ways in which the symmetries of the regular polygon can be realized as linear transformations.

3. How many irreducible representations does the Dn group have?

The number of irreducible representations of the Dn group is equal to the number of symmetries of the regular polygon, which is n. So, the Dn group has n irreducible representations.

4. How are irreducible representations of the Dn group labeled?

The irreducible representations of the Dn group are labeled using the notation Dn, where n ranges from 1 to n. For example, the first irreducible representation of the D5 group would be labeled as D1, the second as D2, and so on.

5. What is the significance of irreducible representations of the Dn group?

Irreducible representations of the Dn group are important in the study of symmetry and group theory. They provide a way to decompose the group into simpler parts and understand its structure and properties. They also have applications in other areas of mathematics and physics, such as crystallography and quantum mechanics.

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