Prove that $\mathbb{Q}[D_8]$ is isomorphic to $\mathbb{Q} \times \mathbb{Q} \times \mathbb{Q} \times \mathbb{Q} \times M_2(\mathbb{Q})$

group-theoryrepresentation-theory

Prove that $\mathbb{Q}[D_8]$ is isomorphic to $\mathbb{Q} \times \mathbb{Q} \times \mathbb{Q} \times \mathbb{Q} \times M_2(\mathbb{Q})$

I want to prove that these $\mathbb{Q}$ algebras are isomorphic.
I understand why this holds for the corresponding $\mathbb{C}$ algebras. However I am dumbfounded as to how it works in the case of $\mathbb{Q}$.
One thing I can prove is that $D_8/[D_8,D_8]$ is isomorphic to $\mathbb{Z}_2 \times \mathbb{Z}_2$. And from there I can prove that $\mathbb{Q}[\mathbb{Z}_2 \times \mathbb{Z}_2]$ is isomorphic to $\mathbb{Q}[x,y]/(x^2-1,y^2-1)$. But I don't know how to conntinue from here and if I can even use this.

Best Answer

If $\mathbb F$ is any field of characteristic zero, then $\mathbb F[D_8]$ is a direct sum of matrix algebras over division rings since by Maschke's theorem it is semisimple. Now as the OP points out $$ D_8/[D_8,D_8] = D_8/Z(D_8)\cong \mathbb Z_2\times \mathbb Z_2=V_4 $$ where $V_4$ is called the "Klein 4-group", and it is easy to see that $\mathbb Q[V_4] \cong \mathbb Q^4$ (the isomorphism is just writing down all the 1-dimensional representations).

Now $Z(\mathbb Q[D_8])$ is $5$-dimensional, since $D_8$ has 5 conjugacy classes, and five irreducible representations, hence either $\mathbb Q[D_8]$ is either $\mathbb Q^4 \oplus \mathrm{Mat}_2(\mathbb Q)$ or $\mathbb Q[D_8] \cong \mathbb Q^4 \oplus D$ where $D$ is a $4$-dimensional noncommutative division algebra, and to decide which, you can just write down the two-dimensional representation $V$ and see what the image of $D_8$ spans inside $\text{End}(V)$: Indeed $$ D_8 = \langle s,r\mid s^4=r^2=e, srs^{-1}=r^{-1}\rangle $$ and the two-dimensional representation is given by $$ r \mapsto \left(\begin{array}{cc} 0 & -1 \\ 1 & 0 \end{array}\right); \quad s \mapsto \left(\begin{array}{cc} -1 & 0 \\0 & 1 \end{array}\right) $$ (think of the symmetries of a square -- the matrix for $r$ is that of a rotation by $\pi/2$ with respect to any orthonormal basis, so pick one which is given by the eigenvectors of a reflection). It is then easy to see that $rs = \left(\begin{array}{cc} 0 & 1 \\ 1 & 0 \end{array}\right)$ (or geometrically, the two classes of reflections swap each others eigenlines) and so $\{1,r,s,rs\}$ is a basis of $\text{Mat}_2(\mathbb Q)$.

Of course you don't even really need to calculate anything after you see that the image of $D_8$ lies in $\text{Mat}_2(\mathbb Q)$, since the other option was a division algebra over $\mathbb Q$ of dimension $4$, but since everything can be worked out concretely with relatively little work, it seems better to be concrete.

Related Question