the meaning of 42

[niglett]

i once spoke to Douglas Adams before he died. i had one question regarding 42. i did not ask him what it meant but posed a possible meaning. and i was correct! he was a old school friend of my uncle and met him in a class reunion. we spoke for a few minutes. i asked him my questions ext. hes a nice person and i miss him very much.

my question for you is what do you think the literal meaning to 42 is.

if your correct you get 9000 awesome points!

please explain your meaning. thanks.

 

[TheLastCylon]

6*7.

At least that's what I always thought.

 

[Neonbob]

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

But I like the "how many roads must a man walk down" line a bit more.
It's more absurd.

 

[ProfessorLayton]

Would you mind just telling us? There is no way that I will get this.

 

[anthony87]

I just saw a thread about the meaning of life...
Then this pops up...

Spooky.

 

[quiet_samurai]

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.

 

[Inverse Skies]

I'm not sure, but I would like to know. Can you please tell us?

 

[Kuchinawa212]

I thought he just picked a random number and went with it.
Book Marked! Please tell us the real reason!

 

[niglett]

i will tell you all in about a hour or two.

 

[Neonbob]

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.

I think I read it in the back of the Ultimate Hitchhikers Guide...
That seems right to me.
I'll go with that.

i will tell you all in about a hour or two.

O_O
EVIL, EVIL MAN!
X-D

 

[Julianking93]

Wha?

Why is significance being placed on this number?

 

[ScruffyTheJanitor]

I remember from the HHG books that it was the answer to the ultimate question, "what is six times nine" (and yes, i mean nine). I believe at that point Arthur and Ford whom were both present figured that it wasn't the ultimate question.

Although, in base 13, six times nine does indeed make 42. So I'm really not sure what to make of this.

 

[ma55ter_fett]

i will tell you all in about a hour or two.

Now I will have to revisit this thread later, I am curious I admit.

I always thought that he just picked a number.

 

[masher]

All I know is what I read from his amazing books: 6*9
Just like the secret to flying: forgot your falling. XP
Man I miss his books! 'Bout time to re-read them I guess.

 

[walkingdead127]

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.

 

[NeutralDrow]

i once spoke to Douglas Adams before he died. i had one question regarding 42. i did not ask him what it meant but posed a possible meaning. and i was correct! he was a old school friend of my uncle and met him in a class reunion. we spoke for a few minutes. i asked him my questions ext. hes a nice person and i miss him very much.

my question for you is what do you think the literal meaning to 42 is.

if your correct you get 9000 awesome points!

please explain your meaning. thanks.

It meant nothing.

 

[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...

 

[Pimppeter2]

Hmm. I'm intrigued. I'll check back tomorrow

 

[TriGGeR_HaPPy]

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

 

[littlequietguy]

How many times will people program a robot to ask the question before giving up?
Or alternatively "Pick a number, any number". Not a question but still. I got this idea from tv tropes.