TITLE: Show $p$ prime s.t. $p \not\equiv 1 \mod 3$ is represented by the binary quadratic equation.
QUESTION [6 upvotes]: I am working on the following question: 
Let $p>3$ be a prime such that $p \not\equiv 1 \mod 3$. Show that $p$ is not represented by the binary quadratic equation $f(x, y) = x^2 + xy + y^2$.
I would appreciate any help.

REPLY [5 votes]: Remember that you can just add up mods.
If $x \equiv 1 \bmod 3$ and $y \equiv 1 \bmod 3$, then $x^2 + xy + y^2 \equiv 0 \bmod 3$.
If $x \equiv 1 \bmod 3$ and $y \equiv 2 \bmod 3$, then $x^2 + xy + y^2 \equiv 1 \bmod 3$.
If $x \equiv 1 \bmod 3$ and $y \equiv 0 \bmod 3$, then $x^2 + xy + y^2 \equiv 1 \bmod 3$.
If $x \equiv 2 \bmod 3$ and $y \equiv 2 \bmod 3$, then $x^2 + xy + y^2 \equiv 0 \bmod 3$.
Obviously we needn't worry about both $x$ and $y$ satisfying $0 \mod 3$, and as for the other possibilities with $x$ and $y$ switched, we can ignore them "without any loss of generality."
Since $x^2 + xy + y^2 \equiv 2 \bmod 3$ is impossible, no $p \equiv 2 \bmod 3$ can be represented by it.