Final answer:
Using the simple interest formula I = P × r × t and rearranging to solve for the interest rate, we find the annual simple interest rate to be 1.7%.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the annual simple interest rate, we'll use the basic simple interest formula: Interest (I) = Principal (P) × rate (r) × time (t). Given I=$17, P=$500, and t=2 years, we want to solve for r. Let's rearrange the formula to solve for the interest rate:
I = P × r × t
Divide both sides by P × t to isolate r:
r = I / (P × t)
r = $17 / ($500 × 2)
r = $17 / $1000
r = 0.017 or 1.7%
The annual simple interest rate is 1.7%.