The Numbers

From LOST

The numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42 appear throughout the series, both in sequence and individually.

Contents 1 Summary 2 Appearances 2.1 4 8 15 16 23 42 2.2 Combos 2.3 Sum and Product 3 Other Information 3.1 Binary

[edit] Summary

They were broadcast from the Island's radio transmitter, and it was this message that drew Rousseau's expedition there. Although she later changes the message after the deaths of the rest of her team, the digits had also been heard by other people, eventually making their way to Hurley, who used them to win a lottery. After those around him suffer a series of misfortunes, he begins to believe the numbers are cursed. His search for their origin leads him to Australia. On the island, Hurley discovers the digits engraved on the hatch. They also appear inside the bunker, on medicine bottles, and constitute a code that must be entered into the Swan station's computer. The sum of these numbers, 108, has become significant in connection to the DHARMA Initiative.

According to the DHARMA Orientation video in the Lost Experience, the Numbers represent the core factors of the Valenzetti Equation.

[edit] Appearances

Main Articles: 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42

[edit] 4 8 15 16 23 42

• The Numbers correspond to the seat assignments of certain characters:
  • 23B - Jack Shephard
  • 23D - Rose Henderson
  • 23E - Bernard Nadler
  • 42F - Ana-Lucia Cortez

• The reward for Kate's capture was $23,000.
• Sam Toomey and Leonard Simms hear these numbers while at a listening post monitoring long range transmissions over the South Pacific. Sam used the numbers at a fair guessing the number of beans and won $50,000. He later believed he was under a curse due to using the numbers. ("Numbers")
• Hurley heard the numbers from Leonard and used them to play the lottery, and in turn won $114 Million in the lottery (Mega Lotto Jackpot). Hurley believed he was under a curse due to using the numbers. ("Numbers")
• Rousseau and her Science Team heard the transmission and followed them to the island, once their ship was damaged beyond repair. Danielle went to the radio tower near the Black Rock, and changed the transmission of the numbers to a broadcast for help. ("Numbers")
• The Numbers are printed on the outside of the hatch. ("Numbers")
• While driving to the airport, Hurley's car dies and the numbers appear on his dashboard readout - 42 KM, temperature 23°C, at 16 KPH Speed, digressing to speeds of 15, 8, and finally 4. ("Exodus - Part 2")
• While rushing to the gate at the airport, Hurley passes a team of female soccer players and the six players display the numbers on the back of their jerseys. ("Exodus - Part 2")
• Desmond injects himself with a vial of an unknown substance. The vials are labeled "CR 4-81516-23 42". ("Man of Science, Man of Faith")
• Adam Rutherford's age is 57 (15+42). ("Man of Science, Man of Faith")
• The Numbers are also used inside the hatch to reset the countdown. The sum of the numbers is 108. Every 108 minutes, the numbers must be entered into the computer. ("Adrift")
• The Numbers are also drawn onto Kelvin and Radzinky's map which appears on the back of a blast door. ("Lockdown")
• During a flashback, the parking lot of the police station where Ana Lucia worked is shown. The top of each police car is labeled with one of the numbers. ("Two for the Road")
• On hurley's birthday, after the Oceanic 6 leave the island, Hurley's father fixes the car he and Hurley were working before Oceanic Flight 815 crashed. The numbers on the fixed car's odometer are 4815162342 (48151.6 miles total, 234.2 miles trip meter) Hurley's numbers put together. ("There's No Place Like Home - Part 1")

[edit] Combos

• 815 - Was the Oceanic Airlines flight number which the survivors were on prior to crashing on the island.
• 48 - It was the number of survivors that were located in the Fuselage of the plane.
• 16.4 - The number of years Rousseau was on the island according to the iteration count. ("Pilot - Part 2")
• 815 - was the number on the safety deposit box Kate robbed. ("Whatever the Case May Be")
• 815 - The Heatherton C815 is the name of the copier Charlie was trying to sell when he accepted a job from Francis Heatherton. ("Homecoming")
• 234 - The number that Driveshaft's track "You All Everybody" is located on the jukebox inside the bar Tommy and Charlie go to. ("Homecoming")
• 815 - Emily asks Locke where the footballs are located in the store, and he tells her aisles 8 for regulation, and 15 for Nerf. ("Deus Ex Machina")
• 815 - Tom and Kate buried their time capsule on August 15, 1989. (8/15/89) ("Born to Run")
• 815 - It was printed on the window of a building Sayid exited while in Sydney. ("The Greater Good")
• 815 - 8:15AM was Adam Rutherford's time of death. ("Man of Science, Man of Faith")
• 815 - On the blast door map it has square root of 16, 64, 225 which equal 4, 8, 15. ("Lockdown")
• 23108-42 - This was the number of the tape that Kelvin showed to Sayid. ("One of Them")
• 1516 - This was the number of Anthony Cooper's safety deposit box. ("Lockdown")
• 815 - 815 Walnut Ridge Rd. was the real Henry Gale's address. ("Lockdown")
• 416 - According to the printout from the Pearl, Oceanic flight 815 crashed on the island on September 22, 2004 at 4:16. ("Live Together, Die Alone")
• 1516 - This was Jae Lee's hotel room number. ("The Glass Ballerina")
• 84023 - This was Eddie Colburn's Humboldt County Sheriff's Department ID number. ("Further Instructions")
• 2342 - Mr. Widmore (Penelope's father) is at an auction bidding on Lot. 2342 ("The Constant")
• 2.342 - Daniel Faraday tells Desmond to contact him at Queens College in 1996 and set his experiment to 2.342 ("The Constant")
• 423 - Penny's new address - 423 Cheyne Walk ("The Constant")
• 342 - Ben's ticket number at the butcher ("The Lie")
• 815 - This was the time on Desmond's microwave when he goes back in time ("Flashes Before Your Eyes")

[edit] Sum and Product

The Numbers sum (adding all six together) of 108 and product (multiplying all six together) of 7418880 appear regularly throughout the series, most prominently at the DHARMA Swan station, where the amount of time between pressing the button to prevent the end of the world is 108 minutes.

The number of the passengers that were aboard Oceanic 815 is 324, which is three times 108.

The Swan's two-member crew was intended to be replaced every 540 days, which is five times 108.

In Live Together, Die Alone, the technicians in Antarctic listening post detected the second magnetic anomaly. the readout on the computer read these numbers: 7418880

[edit] Other Information

The Numbers seem to have various hidden meanings.

[edit] Binary

• 4: 100
• 8: 1000
• 15: 1111
• 16: 10000
• 23: 10111
• 42: 101010