The six recurring numbers in Lost add up to 108. The sequence is 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42, and the characters enter it into the Swan station computer.
The numbers first function as mysterious recurring clues and later become linked to the island’s mythology and the candidates chosen by Jacob. Their appearance in lottery results, records, and other events makes them one of the show’s most recognizable motifs.
Adding them gives 4 + 8 + 15 + 16 + 23 + 42 = 108. The total matters inside the Swan station, where the countdown resets after the sequence is entered. The station’s computer procedure is one of the central mysteries of the second season.
A frequent mix-up is treating 108 as another member of the sequence. It is not: 108 is the sum of the six numbers, while 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42 are the individual values.