The debt is amortized by the periodic payment shown. Compute $($a$)$ the number of payments required to amortize the debt; $($b$)$ the outstanding principal at the time indicated.

$\backslash$table$[[$Debt PrincipalDebt Payment,$\backslash$table$[[$Payment$],[$Interval$]],$Interest Rate,$\backslash$table$[[$Conversion$],[$Period$]],\backslash$table$[[$Outstanding$],[$Principal After:$]],],[$$$17,000,$$$1496,6$ months,$7\%,$semi$-$annually,$8$th payment$]]$

$($a$)$ The number of payments required to amortize the debt is

$($Round the final answer up to the nearest whole number. Round all intermediate values to six decimal places as needed.$)$