the meaning of 42

[Spaghetti]

I always understood that "42" was the answer to life the universe and everything. The Question on the other hand, is supposedly "What do you get when you mukltiply 6 by 9?"

Now, anybody with the tinniest of maths skill will know that when you mukltiply 6 by 9 you get 54. But I've always taken it as "6x9 = 42" because the Universe is so screwed up...

I remember thinking that 6 times 9 = 42 when you use a base 13 number system, but I never looked as to if that had anything at all to do with why he chose it. :S

Apparently he chose it because it's the most inconspicuous number he could think of. I also happen to know that he told Stephen Fry the secret of 42...but Fry swore to take it with him to the grave...

 

[ScruffyTheJanitor]

I remember thinking that 6 times 9 = 42 when you use a base 13 number system, but I never looked as to if that had anything at all to do with why he chose it. :S

Maybe he's just expressing anger at how frustrating maths gets when you start introducing "to the base..."
It will be something absurd though. Probably was how long it took him to think of that number. How many cups of tea he had had during writing the book etc.

 

[Aardvark]

That's nowhere near enough. I'm holding out for OVER 9000!!!

 

[Raven's Nest]

My first choice was ninja'd by Neonbob right at the beggining so i'll guess that it was the age he was when he realised there was no definable meaning to life...

I arrive at this by the logic that there was no definable question asked in the first place.

 

[Mathioso]

If you look back at the diagram of the question on one of the books there can be several answers, but my question is does the answer even correlate with the diagram of the question?

 

[Sup I'm Will what up]

Wow, whats going on? could someone give an explanation? It seems like this thread started in th middle of a conversation. What did I miss? And 6x9=54!

 

[Kollega]

42 does not have a question to it. It's a question and answer unto itself.

It's how may times you have to solve a Rubix Cube before it opens up and transports you to another dimension.

Lies. My grandfather solved the cube countless amounts of times,and he's still here. So the joke is not funny.

If you put the word "math" into numerical values based on the placement of the letters in the alphabet it equals 42.

It says math is everything.

Makes sense. Applause,indeed.

***

Also,42 is not an ultimate answer. 33 is.

 

[IrishBerserker]

Wha?

Why is significance being placed on this number?

Its from Hitchhickers Guide to the Galaxy. written by Douglas Adams

Supposedly the answer to everything, according to Deep Thought, a supper computer that knows everything.

Edit: I'm going from the Movie as I have not read the books

 

[dantheman931]

I'm pretty sure it was his age when his daughter was born.
Something like that.

I have a friend that said this too, you and he are the only ones i have heard say that.

OT: It's how may times you have to solve a Rubix Cube before it opens up and transports you to another dimension.

The only problem is, he thought up the 42 gag decades before he even had a daughter, so unless he could see the future (which I doubt even Douglas Adams could do--he was good, but damn, he wasn't thatgood), that theory is bunk. For that matter, according to The Almighty Wiki, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_adams] his first appearance in Monty Python's Flying Circus was in episode 42, which also predates its appearance in Hitchhiker's. Personally, I dunno what to think; he always maintained that 42 meant nothing, that he picked it totally at random (and that the whole base-13 thing is a meaningless coincidence), but then you hear about things like his having told Stephen Fry "the secret of 42," and you start to wonder.

Another theory: Maybe he picked 42 because it kept popping up in his life; I have the same issue with 301 (my area code, my SSN, the address of a former friend), so I may have to work the number 301 into a novel someday just to give it meaning.

 

[SquirrelPants]

Wha?

Why is significance being placed on this number?

Its from Hitchhickers Guide to the Galaxy. written by Douglas Adams

Supposedly the answer to everything, according to Deep Thought, a supper computer that knows everything.

Edit: I'm going from the Movie as I have not read the books

That is basically it, yeah, but EVERYONE misquotes that. It is not the answer to life, the universe, and everything. It is the answer to the "Question of life, the universe, and everything." Before you can understand the answer, you must first understand the question, which is basically what created the plot.

 

[Emperor Inferno]

Who? That number has a meaning?

I'm sorry, but I am very confused...

 

[dantheman931]

If you look back at the diagram of the question on one of the books there can be several answers, but my question is does the answer even correlate with the diagram of the question?

It does indeed. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/42_puzzle#42_Puzzle]

 

[Julianking93]

Wha?

Why is significance being placed on this number?

Its from Hitchhickers Guide to the Galaxy. written by Douglas Adams

Supposedly the answer to everything, according to Deep Thought, a supper computer that knows everything.

Edit: I'm going from the Movie as I have not read the books

Oh. I never read that.

How exactly though is it the answer to everything?

 

[dantheman931]

Wha?

Why is significance being placed on this number?

Its from Hitchhickers Guide to the Galaxy. written by Douglas Adams

Supposedly the answer to everything, according to Deep Thought, a supper computer that knows everything.

Edit: I'm going from the Movie as I have not read the books

Oh. I never read that.

How exactly though is it the answer to everything?

It's not. The joke is that the significance of 42 is never explained. Eh, it loses something when I try to explain it; you have to experience it for yourself, not unlike the Matrix except less pretentious. Seriously, pick up the first book and read it, you'll be hooked in no time.

 

[Pokedude1013]

one
billion

 

[Julianking93]

Wha?

Why is significance being placed on this number?

Its from Hitchhickers Guide to the Galaxy. written by Douglas Adams

Supposedly the answer to everything, according to Deep Thought, a supper computer that knows everything.

Edit: I'm going from the Movie as I have not read the books

Oh. I never read that.

How exactly though is it the answer to everything?

It's not. The joke is that the significance of 42 is never explained. Eh, it loses something when I try to explain it; you have to experience it for yourself, not unlike the Matrix except less pretentious. Seriously, pick up the first book and read it, you'll be hooked in no time.

Okay, I'll take your word for it.

I'm going book shopping tomorrow, I'll pick it up then

 

[quiet_samurai]

42 does not have a question to it. It's a question and answer unto itself.

It's how may times you have to solve a Rubix Cube before it opens up and transports you to another dimension.

Lies. My grandfather solved the cube countless amounts of times,and he's still here. So the joke is not funny.

Was it 42 times exactly? It can only be 42 times exactly.

Well obviously not, since he's still here.

 

[dantheman931]

Wha?

Why is significance being placed on this number?

Its from Hitchhickers Guide to the Galaxy. written by Douglas Adams

Supposedly the answer to everything, according to Deep Thought, a supper computer that knows everything.

Edit: I'm going from the Movie as I have not read the books

Oh. I never read that.

How exactly though is it the answer to everything?

It's not. The joke is that the significance of 42 is never explained. Eh, it loses something when I try to explain it; you have to experience it for yourself, not unlike the Matrix except less pretentious. Seriously, pick up the first book and read it, you'll be hooked in no time.

Okay, I'll take your word for it.

I'm going book shopping tomorrow, I'll pick it up then

We shall expect a full report.

 

[IrishBerserker]

It's not. The joke is that the significance of 42 is never explained. Eh, it loses something when I try to explain it; you have to experience it for yourself, not unlike the Matrix except less pretentious. Seriously, pick up the first book and read it, you'll be hooked in no time.

Okay, I'll take your word for it.

I'm going book shopping tomorrow, I'll pick it up then

You should also watch the movie it quite funny.

 

[Vitvol279]

It's impossible to know The Ultimate Answer and The Ultimate Question at the same time, as they will cancel each other out and take the Universe with them to be replaced by something even more bizarre, everyone knows that!