(a) Let the finite group $G$ act on a finite set $X$ and let $\pi$ be the permutation character. If $G$ is 2 -transitive on $X$, show that $\pi=1_{G}+\chi$, where $\chi$ is an irreducible character of $G$.

(b) Let $n \geqslant 4$, and let $G$ be the symmetric group $S_{n}$ acting naturally on the set $X=\{1, \ldots, n\}$. For any integer $r \leqslant n / 2$, write $X_{r}$ for the set of all $r$-element subsets of $X$, and let $\pi_{r}$ be the permutation character of the action of $G$ on $X_{r}$. Compute the degree of $\pi_{r}$. If $0 \leqslant \ell \leqslant k \leqslant n / 2$, compute the character inner product $\left\langle\pi_{k}, \pi_{\ell}\right\rangle$.

Let $m=n / 2$ if $n$ is even, and $m=(n-1) / 2$ if $n$ is odd. Deduce that $S_{n}$ has distinct irreducible characters $\chi^{(n)}=1_{G}, \chi^{(n-1,1)}, \chi^{(n-2,2)}, \ldots, \chi^{(n-m, m)}$ such that for all $r \leqslant m$,

$$\pi_{r}=\chi^{(n)}+\chi^{(n-1,1)}+\chi^{(n-2,2)}+\cdots+\chi^{(n-r, r)}$$

(c) Let $\Omega$ be the set of all ordered pairs $(i, j)$ with $i, j \in\{1,2, \ldots, n\}$ and $i \neq j$. Let $S_{n}$ act on $\Omega$ in the obvious way. Write $\pi^{(n-2,1,1)}$ for the permutation character of $S_{n}$ in this action. By considering inner products, or otherwise, prove that

$$\pi^{(n-2,1,1)}=1+2 \chi^{(n-1,1)}+\chi^{(n-2,2)}+\psi$$

where $\psi$ is an irreducible character. Calculate the degree of $\psi$, and calculate its value on the elements $\left(\begin{array}{ll}1 & 2\end{array}\right)$ and $\left(\begin{array}{lll}1 & 2 & 3)\end{array}\right)$ of $S_{n}$.