What do you get if you multiply 6 by 9?

[meadbelly]

http://shirt.woot.com/offers/thanks-for-all-the-fish#read-more

[Martok]

Ha!  Awesome.  Douglas Adams would be proud. 


What's with the 6 by 9 reference, though?  I confess I don't get that part. 

[Staggerwing]

Should be 6 by 7, maybe?

[meadbelly]

/shakes his head sadly.

The Answer to Life, The Universe, and Everything is 42.

The question turns out to be "What do you get if you multiply 6 x 9."


Irrc, this was discovered by Dent after his Early Morning Yell of Horror, the circumstances of which are depicted in So Long, And Thanks for All The Fish.


(In the HGttG community, there is more than a little debate about the 6 x 9 reference. It may be a base 13 reference. It may even not be the Question.)

[MetalDog]

Deep Thought gave the answer to Life, The Universe and Everything as 42.  Deeper Thought was built in order to ascertain the Question, "What is 6 times 7?"

Now, I did not click the link, so the joke may be on me, but 6 times 9, and I have read all the Adams books, I don't ever remember seeing.

[meadbelly]

^As I recall, Dent comes up with the question while playing chess (checkers?) with himself (actually a caveman?). I don't recall the actual translation method, but iirc, it has something to do with being the sole survivor of the earth 1 computer, something about his current existence on earth 2: electric boogaloo, but in prehistoric times.

I humbly submit your recollection about 6 x 7 is wrong. I will not humbly admit that I may be wrong, but I do admit it (lol).

I don't have the books in front me. This is hardly definitive, but I could send you about 16 billion links referencing HGttG and "What do you get if you multiply 6 by 9?" I won't -- I'm not _that_ annoying.  ;)

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

[meadbelly]

^Well, yes. That is obviously compelling.

I am suggesting, however, that Adams may have taken literary license with math, and stepped away from practicality, much in the way that there aren't actually two-headed people, let alone named Zaphod.

(They're ettins. Not two headed people.)

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

I see. Anything is possible.


Its been so long since I read the books, I mostly remember the BBC tv series anyway, that i cant remember any reference to 6x7 or 6x9. I seem to remember it as 42 was the answer to the question, Earth was to figure out what the question was.

[Barthheart]

^As I recall, Dent comes up with the question while playing chess (checkers?) with himself (actually a caveman?). I don't recall the actual translation method, but iirc, it has something to do with being the sole survivor of the earth 1 computer, something about his current existence on earth 2: electric boogaloo, but in prehistoric times.

I humbly submit your recollection about 6 x 7 is wrong. I will not humbly admit that I may be wrong, but I do admit it (lol).

I don't have the books in front me. This is hardly definitive, but I could send you about 16 billion links referencing HGttG and "What do you get if you multiply 6 by 9?" I won't -- I'm not _that_ annoying.  ;)

This is mostly what happend. Dent being the sole survivor, or so he thought, of the destruction of the Earth, which is actually a living computer called Deeper Thought, is tasked with finding the Question to the Ultimate answer.

While playing scrabble on a planet completely run by hairdressers and other "un-useful" trades - used car salesmen etc., he starts randomly pulling tiles from a bag. They start to spell actual words and he believes it must be the answer  er question everyone is looking for.

The sentance he makes is "What is six times nine?" Since we already know the answer is 42, the only conclusion is the the Universe is a very screwed up place.
 
The series really is a must read....  8)

[Gusington]

I thought the answer was always C.

[Barthheart]

I thought the answer was always C.

A buddy of mine used a coin toss to fill in a multiple choice Psych 101 exam. 1st toss desided A-B or C-D group, 2nd toss chose one of that group. He got 52% on the exam.  :P

[Gusington]

^But 52% still fails! If he got 88% I would be impressed :)

[Barthheart]

^But 52% still fails! If he got 88% I would be impressed :)

On what planet does 52% fail?!? :o

[Gusington]

^Dude in every class I have ever been in, 64% or lower FAILS. 52% isn't even close!