The Top Ten: Interesting numbers

The answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything, according to the supercomputer Deep Thought (BBC)

This list was suggested by Adam Snow, who modestly described himself as innumerate, but nevertheless nominated zero, pi and 33.33 recurring, the revolutions per minute of a long-playing record

1. Zero

Is it not wonderful that you cannot divide anything by zero?

2. One

Because.

3. e

Sometimes called Euler's number (after Leonhard Euler), about 2.71828, it is the limit of (1 + 1/n)ⁿ, the base of the natural logarithm, or the limit of compound interest.

4. Pi: 3.1415926535…

And so on. Circled by Kartar Uppal.

5. i

Square root of -1, an imaginary number. William Barter nominated Euler's identity, the equation that relates the first five interesting numbers:

6. 42

The answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything, according to the supercomputer Deep Thought. Douglas Adams, via Adrian Brodkin and Isabel.

7. 101

The number of the Room, nominated by Tim Mickleburgh. It is also a palindromic prime number (others include 919 and 79997), says Ray Jennings.

8. 153

The sum of the numbers from 1 to 17; of the cubes of its integers, 1+125+27; and the number of fish caught by the disciples, says Vaughan Clarke.

9. 142857

Ian Rapley says it is “the string that helps you with fractions 1/7, 2/7, 3/7, and so on”. One seventh is 0.142857 recurring. It is the best-known cyclic number in base 10: multiplied by 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, the answer is a cyclic permutation of itself.

10. 1000000000000066600000000000001

Belphegor's Prime, nominated by Stian Westlake: 666 with 13 zeroes either side. Belphegor is a demon of innovation who tempts people into sloth with brilliant inventions that will make them rich without work.

Next week: Best Christmas episodes of TV series

Coming soon: Original names of famous football clubs. Send your suggestions, and ideas for future Top 10s, to top10@independent.co.uk