Answer
Prime
Work Step by Step
A prime number is any number that cannot by multiplied by any two whole numbers (besides the number and 1) to get that number. A composite number is any other number, so a composite number is a number you can get by multiplying two whole numbers (not including the number and one). There are not two whole numbers that multiply to get 17 (besides 17 and 1), so 17 is a prime number.