On consecutive quadratic non-residues: a conjecture of Issai Schur. (Q1421293)

The author proves that 13 is the only prime \(p\) for which the greatest number of consecutive quadratic non-residues mod \(p\) exceeds \(\sqrt p\). This settles an old problem by I. Schur. Prior to the present result it was known that such a prime must satisfy \(p\equiv 13\!\!\pmod {24}\) [\textit{R. H. Hudson}, J.\ Reine Angew.\ Math.\ 289, 215--220 (1977; Zbl 0336.10042)]. The author shows by elementary methods that \(p>38659\) and then rules out the primes below this bound and different from 13 by using a computer.