The Number 17: Properties and Meanings

17 is a Prime Number.

17 can be Partitioned in 297 ways.

17 can be Partitioned 9 times with each term no larger than 2.

17 can be Partitioned 33 times with each term no larger than 3

17 can be Partitioned 72 times with each term no larger than 4

17 can be Partitioned 119 times with each term no larger than 5

17 can be Partitioned 163 times with each term no larger than 6

17 can be Partitioned 201 times with each term no larger than 7

17 can be Partitioned 230 times with each term no larger than 8

17 can be Partitioned 252 times with each term no larger than 9

17 can be Partitioned 267 times with each term no larger than 10

17 can be Partitioned 278 times with each term no larger than 11

17 can be Partitioned 285 times with each term no larger than 12

17 can be Partitioned 290 times with each term no larger than 13

17 can be Partitioned 293 times with each term no larger than 14

17 can be Partitioned 295 times with each term no larger than 15

17 can be Partitioned 296 times with each term no larger than 16

No odd Fibonacci Number is divisible by 17.

There are exactly 17 ways to express 17 as the sum of 1 or more primes.

17 is the only integer which is equal to the number of prime partitions of itself.

There are 17 distinct sets of regular polygons that can be packed around a point (e.g., 4 squares, 2 hexagons and 2 triangles, etc).

The Chemical Element Chlorine has an atomic number of 17.

There are 17 muscles in the Human tongue.

"The prime number 17 accommodates all the positive-negative, quanta-wave primes up to and including the number 18, which in turn accommodates the two nines of the invisible twoness of all systems." (Quoted from from Section 1238.43 of Synergetics by R. Buckminster Fuller.)

Some people believed that the Sky was divided into 17 celestial layers.

Jâbir Ibn Hayyân, in his book "Book of the Seventy" (Kitâb al-sab'în) attaches a very great importance to the numerical series: 1, 3, 5, 8 and 28 (the sum of 1, 3, 5 and 8 giving 17), because according to him: "All, in the universe, is governed by the number 17 - the metals for example have 17 'power'" and the form of any thing in the world is 17.



The Alhambra, splendid Moor palace which inspired Escher, has 17 types of mosaic (in fact all possible types).

For the ancient Greeks, 17 represents the number of consonants of the alphabet; it is divided in 9 (number of the dumb consonants) and in 8 (number of the semivowels or semi-consonants). These numbers were also in relation with the musical theory and the harmony of the spheres.

The Japanese verse form known as Haiku contains exactly 17 syllables. Note that it consists of 3 lines, with 5, 7, and 5 syllables, respectively.

Frank Bunker Gibreth, the founder of modern motion study technique, concluded that the fundamental motions of the hands of a worker consists of 17 divisions.

King Tutankhamen was wrapped in 17 cloths.

The Year 17 AD

In the year 17 AD Ephesus and other cities were overturned by earthquake.

In the year 17 AD Germanicus of Rome celebrated a victory over the Germanic tribes

In the year 17 AD Ovid, the Roman poet died.

In the year 17 AD Livy, the Roman historian died.

In the year 17 AD Gaius Julius Hyginus, Roman author died.