Significance of The Number
Nick Montfort, in his book Twisty Little Passages (ISBN 0-262-13436-5), suggests that the number was chosen not only because 69 is the common name of a sexual position, but also because in its written form 69,105 falls naturally into two parts with an unusual relationship:
- 69 in hexadecimal is 105 in decimal
- 69 in decimal is 105 in octal
This property was pointed out in a version of the Jargon File dating back at least to 1982. Commenting on the ("Exclusive to MIT-AI") usage of 69 as a generic "large quantity", Guy L. Steele said, "I don't know whether its origins are related to the obscene interpretation, but I do know that 69 decimal = 105 octal, and 69 hexadecimal = 105 decimal, which is a nice property."
The same natural relationship applies to 1,001; 2,002; 3,003; 4,004; 5,005; 6,006; 7,007; 64,100; 65,101; 66,102; 67,103; and 68,104. However, 69,105 is the highest number with this property with fewer than six digits.
Read more about this topic: 69105 (number)
Famous quotes containing the words significance of, significance and/or number:
“It is necessary not to be Christian to appreciate the beauty and significance of the life of Christ.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“It is necessary not to be Christian to appreciate the beauty and significance of the life of Christ.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“To finish the moment, to find the journey’s end in every step of the road, to live the greatest number of good hours, is wisdom. It is not the part of men, but of fanatics, or of mathematicians, if you will, to say, that, the shortness of life considered, it is not worth caring whether for so short a duration we were sprawling in want, or sitting high. Since our office is with moments, let us husband them.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)