On sums of degrees of irreducible characters (Q1378451)

Let \(G\) be a finite group, \(\text{Irr}(G)=\{\chi^1,\dots,\chi^k\}\), and put \(\tau=\sum_{i=1}^k\chi^i\) and \(T(G)=\tau(1)\). If \(H\) is a nontrivial subgroup of \(G\), let \(a=\langle\tau_H,1_H\rangle\), \(\delta(G,H)=T(G)-T(H)\) and \(\delta_0(G,H)=\delta(G,H)-(a-1)\). By a detailed case by case analysis, the authors determine completely the pairs \(H<G\) for which \(\delta_0(G,H)\leq 2\), and this description shows that \(G\) is always solvable. In another main result, \(\delta(G,H)\) is investigated when \(G\) is a \(p\)-group. Finally it is proved (using the classification of finite simple groups) that if \(G\) is nonsolvable, then \(T(G)>2|G:G'|\).